Jayalalithaa's bail plea hearing on in Bangalore

A Karnataka High Court bench here Tuesday began hearing of the criminal revision petition of jailed former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa amid tight security.

A regular bench headed by Justice A.V. Chandrashekara is hearing Jayalalithaa's revision petition, argued by her counsel and noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani seeking suspension of the sentence and bail from jail.

A special court here Sep 27 had convicted Jayalalithaa in the Rs.66-crore disproportionate assets' case and sentenced her to four years' simple imprisonment, with a fine of Rs.100 crore under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

"Jethmalani sought immediate bail for Jayalalithaa on health grounds, as she has diabetes, low blood pressure, acute back pain and is aged (66 years)," one of her defence lawyers told IANS at the court.

In his 90-minute deposition, Jethmalani also assured the judge that his client (Jayalalithaa) would abide by any condition put forth for bail, as she was a former chief minister and would not disappear or escape from the country.

Special public prosecutor G. Bhavani Singh, however, opposed the bail plea, asserting that Jayalalithaa may influence witness and tamper with evidence if set free, as she was powerful and supremo of the ruling party (AIADMK) in Tamil Nadu.