In a huge relief to the ruling party of Tamilnadu and former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, the Karnataka High Court has acquitted her in the disproportionate assets case. The judicial outcome will swing the political fortunes for the ruling AIADMK supremo and alter the political course, which will go to the Assembly polls in about a year. The acquittal would enable ‘Amma’ as called fondly by the people of Tamilnadu, to stage a spectacular political comeback, who has waged many legal battles and seen several ups and downs in her entire political career.
Jayalalithaa has been charged with accumulating Rs 66.65 crore of wealth which is disproportionate to known sources of her income from 1991-96 during her first term as Chief Minister. She has contended that the then DMK government-led investigation has deliberately over-valued the assets. She stated that she had acquired the property, including jewellery, through legal means.
Earlier the special court has convicted her in the disproportionate assets case and sent her to jail on September 2014, along with four others, including her closest aide VK Sasikala Natarajan, her estranged foster son Sudhakaran and J Ilavarasi were sent to Bengaluru central prison. Former Karnataka Advocate General BV Acharya, proved the charges against her in the case and was reappointed as the Special Public Prosecutor after the Supreme Court ordered the removal of previous SPP Bhavani Singh, who was allegedly favouring Jayalalithaa.
When the judge of the high court of Karnataka reads out the word 'acquitted', AIADMK lawyers rose together and greeted Justice Kumaraswamy with folded hands. They marched out of court shouting “Amma Vaazgha…Amma Vaazgha”. Now there is no restriction on Jayalalithaa on becoming the CM, said B Kumar, Jayalalithaa's lawyer.
Since Jayalalita stands acquitted, her disqualification under the Representation of People's Act (RPA) stands cancelled and she can now come back as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. She can now take over as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and lead the AIADMK in the Assembly election which is due in May 2016.
As soon as the Justice CR Kumaraswamy pronounced the judgement acquitting her in the 18-year-old disproportionate assets case, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam workers and leaders in Bengaluru and in Tamil Nadu started wild celebrations.
By Premji
