Disproportionate assets case: Supreme Court agrees to hear Jayalalithaa bail plea on Friday

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on Friday the bail plea of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who is currently lodged in a prison in Bengaluru after being handed a 4-year jail term in a disproportionate assets case.

Senior advocate Fali S Nariman, who appeared on behalf of the AIADMK supremo, pleaded to the court that the hearing on the bail plea be accommodated this week itself. Responding to the suggestion, a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu posted the case for hearing on Oct. 17.

The request by the AIADMK chief’s team came as Friday will be the last chance for Ms Jayalalithaa to get bail before the Supreme Court goes into Diwali vacation break from next week.

This is the reason why Mr Nariman pleaded that the court list the matter this week.

After being rejected bail by Karnataka High Court, which also refused to stay the judgement by a Special Court which found her guilty of corruption, the former TN CM had moved the apex court on Oct. 9. Ms Jayalalithaa was lodged in the prison in Bengaluru on September 27, immediately after the special court order.

In her bail plea, Ms Jayalalithaa has stated that she has been sentenced to only four years jail in the case and she is also suffering from various ailments as grounds for her immediate relief.

 She also cited grounds of being a senior citizen and a woman for getting out of jail.