Jayalalithaa returns to Chennai after 21 days in Bangalore jail, supporters rejoice
Chennai/Bangalore: AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on Saturday walked out of a Bangalore prison following Supreme Court granting her bail in a graft case, arriving to a grand homecoming with scores of avid supporters turning up to welcome her despite heavy downpour.
The 66-year-old former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister stepped out of Parappana Agrahara Central Prison at Bangalore after completion of all formalities, with the Special Court Judge John Michael D' Cunha issuing the release order.
The release order by the Special Court came after a bond for Rs two crore and surety on assets for more than Rs one crore was furnished for Jayalalitha.
Read: Disproportionate assets case: Early Diwali for AIADMK
The copy of the Supreme Court order was also produced by her lawyers.
Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala and her relatives Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, who also fufilled similar conditions, also walked out of jail.
Sasikala and Elavarasi were in Jayalalithaa's car, while Sudhakaran, disowned son of AIADMK chief, was in another vehicle.
Amid massive security, Jayalalithaa came out of prison and was greeted by hundreds of AIADMK supporters who had gathered at several points en route a km away from jail to the airport. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Pannerselvam, several ministers, MPs and legislators received her near the prison.
A smiling Jayalalithaa waved at her frenzied supporters holding her photos and flowers which they showered on her car as her motorcade passed on way to the airport from where she flew back to Chennai by a charter flight.
Jayalalaithaa's convoy outside Bangalore Airport pic.twitter.com/OxbTKdoUeE
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 18, 2014
At Chennai, where security was stepped up ahead of Jayalalithaa's arrival, slogan-shouting men and women AIADMK supporters thronged the airport as well as Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden residence, hailing their 'Puratchi Thalaivi' (Revolutionary Leader) who was released on bail after spending 21 days in the prison in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case since September 27, 2014.
A smiling Jayalalithaa waved back at her celebrating supporters.
AIADMK supporters carrying Jayalalithaa's photos and holding flowers broke into celebrations as her motorcade passed through the heavily guarded route from the prison. Hundreds of policeman, including city armed reserve, were posted in and around the prison, with authorities clamping prohibitory orders anticipating huge flow of AIADMK supporters.
AIADMK supporters celebrate outside Parappana Agrahara jail in Bangalore pic.twitter.com/SgEttW4UJj
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 18, 2014With the AIADMK chief enjoying "Z" Plus category, police had stepped up security supervised by senior officials and barricaded areas in and around the prison complex and blocked access one km away on the road leading to the prison.
Pannerselvam and his entourage had reached Bangalore in the morning.
At the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border point on Hosur also, police and city armed reserve kept a close vigil and regulated movement of vehicles from the neighbouring state into the city. The jail is located about 20 kms from the Hosur point.
Groups of AIADMK supporters had gathered at Hosur entry point chanting slogans hailing their leader.
Jayalalithaa and three others had moved the Supreme Court after failing to get relief from the Karnataka High Court.
The bench, which was initially reluctant to grant bail to Jayalalithaa on the grounds that she had delayed proceedings in the trial court by seeking repeated adjournments, agreed to grant bail after her counsel, Mr Fali S. Nariman, gave an assurance that he was willing to give a statement that his client would seek no adjournment during the appeal in the high court.
