Jaya gets 4-yr jail term in corruption case, barred from being CM or MLA for 10 yrs





Former Foster Son, Friend Sasikalaa, Her Niece Also Found Guilty After 18-Year-Long Trial

TN CM Fined Rs 100Cr In Rs 66.65-Cr Case

BangaloreChennai: Four years in jail. Rs 100 crore as fine. Confiscation of all seized properties. Immediate imprisonment, and no private medical treatment. This is the crux of special judge John Michael D'Cunha's verdict in the Rs 66.65-crore disproportionate assets case against Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayala lithaa. The immediate consequence of Saturday's shocker is that Jayalalithaa ceases to be both MLA and CM.

The conviction may push Jayalalithaa's party into a tighter embrace with the central government as AIADMK will now have to fight off rival DMK which, no doubt, will be enthused by the court's order. AIADMK has 37 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 11 in the Rajya Sabha. For BJP, such a development would be helpful, especially after its split with Shiv Sena, which has 18 MPs in the Lower House and three in the Upper House.

This is the first time anyone has been convicted while being a CM. However, this is the third time Jayalalithaa, 66, has been convicted in a corruption case, and the second time she has been forced to step down as CM. Her two earlier convictions-on February 2, 2000 and October 9, 2000-came when she was not in power. Both those convictions were overturned. The case she is now convicted in deals with offences such as abuse of office and amassing of wealth during her first term as CM. It has dragged on for nearly 18 years.

Three of Jayalalithaa's aides and co-accused--N Sasikalaa, V N Sudhakaran, J Elavarasi--were also awarded four years in jail. They were fined Rs 10 crore each.

As details of the ruling trickled out, violence broke out across TN with AIADMK cadres forcing businesses to down their shutters, torching buses and blocking roads.

First CM in office to be convicted

Several former and serving chief ministers have been imprisoned for political reasons and a handful of former CMs for corruption, but J Jayalalithaa is the first CM in office to go to jail for amassing illegal wealth.Former CMs who have been jailed for graft are Lalu Prasad, Madhu Koda, B S Yeddyurappa, O P Chautala and Jagannath Mishra. A member of AIADMK's legal team told TOI that they would appeal against the order in the disproportionate assets case against J Jayalalithaa as soon as Karnataka high court reopens after Dussehra on October 6.

"Since the sentence is more than three years, it was not automatically suspended by the trial court. The only option available to the convicted persons now is to file an appeal in the high court and seek bail.Whatever be the speed, a few weeks of imprisonment cannot be avoided," he said.

The prosecution scored a perfect 10 of sorts as it got all the four convicted on all the three charges against them. While Jayalalithaa was convicted under provisions of Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (criminal misconduct by public servants), the other three were guilty of Sections 109 (abetment) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) of IPC, special public prosecutor Bhavani Singh told TOI.

Singh and his assistant M S Maradi said the prosecution had proved its case and law had taken its course. Maradi said, "Since the sentence is four years, she has to move the high court by way of a criminal appeal for getting bail". As sporadic violence broke out across Tamil Nadu, officials briefed governor K Rosaiah, who expressed concern over the situation.

"Technically , the Tamil Nadu cabinet does not exist now as the head has been disqualified," said former HC judge K Chandru. Under the Constitution, the governor is in charge in the absence of the council of ministers. While the governor can hold official meetings and issue instructions, he cannot issue any ordinance or convene the assembly . Sources said AIADMK MLAs would meet in a day or two to elect their new leader. "We hope the same ministry will take oath again," a senior partyleader said.

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