Jayalalithaa likely to return as Tamil Nadu chief minister on May 17

She is holding talks with current CM and her close aide O Panneerselvam at her Chennai residence

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Former chief minister J Jayalalithaa is set to return as chief minister of Tamil Nadu in a few days, following her acquittal in the disproportionate assets case. The Karnataka High Court on Monday acquitted her in the case.

Jayalalithaa held talks with chief minister O Panneerselvam at her Poes Garden residence in Chennai. Cabinet ministers in the Tamil Nadu government, too, met the the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief.

According to party sources, Jayalalithaa is likely to take charge as chief minister on Sunday. Earlier, at 11.10 am, judge C R Kumaraswamy read out only two lines of a 910-page judgment at court hall No. 14 in the Karnataka High Court. The judge also ordered for releasing her seized property.

This paves way for Jayalalithaa’s return to power as chief minister. With this, her 19-year legal battle has come to an end for now.

Jayalalithaa, along with three other accused — Sasikala, Sudharakan and Illavarasi — had appealed against the CBI Special Court Judge Michael D’Cunha’s September 27, 2014 verdict, sentencing them to four years in jail and imposing a fine of Rs 100 crore on Jayalalithaa and Rs 10 crore each on others.

In 1997, Jayalalithaa was charged of amassing assets disproportionate to her known sources amounting to Rs 66.65 crore. A case was filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

All charges against the former CM and her associates have been set aside by the court.

Reacting to the judgment, BJP senior functionary Subramanian Swamy said he was shocked over the judgment. He said he would file an appeal in the Supreme Court very soon. “I have to study the judgment as to what are the grounds the high court judge had taken into account while delivering this judgment. We have to believe in the principles of democracy and rely on the court’s judgement,” he said.

Soon after, Jayalalithaa’s supporters started celebrating across Tamil Nadu and outside the court hall in Bengaluru.

Her supporters celebrated the verdict by distributing sweets and bursting fire crackers outside the court hall in Bengaluru. She can go back as chief minister immediately. Her stand has been vindicated, experts tracking the case said.

Reacting to a TV channel, B V Acharya, special public prosecutor appointed by the Karnataka government in the Jayalalithaa case said, “According to me, the prosecution has submitted satisfactory written evidence to prove the charges against all the accused. The evidence comprised documents and a trial judge discussed the evidence in great details before recording a judgment of conviction.”

Earlier, the Karnataka police had made special security arrangements in view of the judgment.

Overall, 3,000 policemen had been deployed across Bengaluru to prevent any untoward incident. The police provided heavy security cover at Attibele toll gate, which is the entry point to Karnataka from Tamil Nadu. Entry points at Sarjapur and  Hosur have been tightened.

A large number of AIADMK supporters had gathered near the court.

Entry to the Court Hall No 14 was restricted for outsiders and only those connected with the case and lawyers from either side were allowed to enter the court hall. The court was jam-packed with lawyers, supporters of Jayalalithaa and mediapersons among others.

Besides, security was also enhanced in Chennai city by the Tamil Nadu police. Jaya’s supporters also offered special puja to goddess Chamundeshwari at Chamundi Hills in Mysore.