Jayalalitha acquitted in corruption case by Karnataka HC

In a huge relief to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, a special bench of the Karnataka High Court today acquitted AIADMK Chief in the Rs. 66.65-crore disproportionate assets case in which she was convicted and sentenced for four years’ imprisonment.  The 67-year old Jayalalithaa is now eligible to takeover as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister with immediate effect.

Pronouncing the verdict in a jam-packed court, single-judge bench of Justice C.R. Kumaraswamy said all the charges on which Jayalalithaa was convicted and sentenced by the trial court were not sustainable and upheld her appeal. Three others who had been convicted along with her, including close aide Sasikala Natarajan, J Elavarasi and V N Sudhakaran have also been acquitted.

Victory celebrations broke out immediately outside her Poes Garden residence in Chennai where party workers celebrated with bursting of crackers and dancing while flashing victory sign.

Jayalalithaa had been charged with accumulating Rs. 66.65 crore wealth disproportionate to known sources of her income from 1991-96 in her first term as Chief Minister in the case that has seen many political and legal twists and turns.

Special Court Judge John Michael D’Cunha on September 27 last year held the AIADMK supremo and three others guilty of corruption and awarded four years jail term, due to which she attracted disqualification as an MLA. The judge had also slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore on her and Rs 10 crore each on three other convicts.