BENGALURU: Ahead of the crucial court verdict in the disproportionate assets case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Saturday, the city police clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 in a radius of one km around the Parappana Agrahara police station from Friday midnight to Saturday midnight.
City Police Commissioner M.N. Reddi issued the orders on Friday evening after the intelligence department alerted police that around 20,000 supporters of Ms Jayalalithaa were landing in the city on Saturday morning.
They were staying in Hosur on Friday night and were expected to reach the Parappana Agrahara jail complex Saturday early morning ahead of the verdict.
Hundreds of AIADMK workers are also expected to come to the city from KGF. Sources in the Parappana Agrahara central prison also told Deccan Chronicle that the prison staff had been instructed to keep a cell ready so that they could easily accommodate the Chief Minister if she is sent to jail by the court.
"A cell in the female wing of the prison was cleaned on Thursday and if at all she is convicted, that will be her cell. She will have to be here at least till Monday till she gets bail or till she is shifted to Tamil Nadu jail after getting the body warrant, as the case was registered in Tamil Nadu and was later transferred to a Special Court here by the Supreme Court," the source said.
Asked about the facilities in the cell, the source said that the CM would be given the same basic facilities provided to other inmates. “The other VVIP inmates in the prison have got their own luxuries as they have to stay here for a long time. It’s not that the prison staff have provided them with good facilities but the family members of VVIP inmates bring whatever is required for them and the prison staff will allow them inside without questioning them. In Jaya's case, she could be here only for a few days," the source explained.
The city police, anticipating a law and order problem if the verdict goes against the CM, said: “There is information that a huge number of AIADMK workers would come to Parappana Agrahara. It is expected that her supporters could try to breach the peace. We have made all arrangements to control any situation."
On Friday, the police had put up barricades on Hosa Road and have put up check-points on Hosur Road, Anekal and Attibele.
