Bangalore: In a massive setback to former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday denied bail to her in a disproportionate assets case.
Rejecting her petition seeking immediate bail and also dismissing her plea for suspension of the four-year sentence awarded to her by the trial court, Justice AV Chandrashekhra said, “No ground for bail to Jayalalithaa.”
“Corruption amounts to violation of human rights; leads to economic imbalance,” he added.
Reports added that the judge said that he is denying bail in view of clear directions from the Supreme Court to fast-track corruption cases.
Emotional scenes played out outside the court as AIADMK workers had started to celebrate prematurely after the public prosecutor told the the court that he is not opposed to ‘conditional’ bail to Jayalalithaa. However, the joyous scenes turned into gloom after the judge rejected the bail plea despite the prosecution not opposing it.
Jayalalithaa was represented by senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, who cited the bail granted to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav after he was convicted in the fodder scam. The HC had refused bail to Lalu but it was granted by the Supreme Court, Jethmalani said.
