Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa arrived in Chennai to a rousing welcome by party cadres after spending 21 days in a Bangalore prison following her conviction by a special court in the disproportionate assets case.
Rains notwithstanding, emotionally charged supporters thronged the Chennai airport right from noon today. Since only select party functionaries were allowed inside the old airport to receive their leader, many had to stand near the main entrance. Senior Ministers were not to be seen in Chennai as a majority of them had gone to Bangalore to receive her.
D Ramesh, a party functionary from Royapuram, who was waiting since morning, said, “I don’t want to leave this place without seeing her.” A large number of women too had gathered at Poes Garden since morning on the hope that their leader will say a few words - usually from the balcony on major occasions.
The Supreme Court granted her interim bail on Friday.
People, braving the rain, with drenched party flags and photographs of ‘Amma’ were seen almost all the way from the airport to her Poes Garden residence. Police personnel were posted all along the route.
Jayalalithaa arrived by a special aircraft at the Chennai airport and drove straight to her residence in a convoy with heavy security. Wall posters and banners lined the entire stretch welcoming her back -- ‘Amma is back, breaking all barriers’.
The AIADMK supremo was today released from jail a day after the Supreme Court granted her conditional bail. On September 27 the special court found her guilty in the disproportionate assets case and sentenced her to four years in jail and fined her ₹ 100 crore.
Jayalalithaa's aide N Sasikala and her relatives J Ilavarasi and VN Sudhakaran who were also sentenced were granted bail by the Supreme Court.
PTI reports:
Jayalalithaa stepped out of Parappana Agrahara Central Prison shortly after Special Court Judge John Michael D’ Cunha issued the release order.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Pannerselvam, several ministers, MPs and legislators received her near the prison after which she headed to HAL airport to fly back to Chennai by a special flight.
Jayalalithaa had yesterday got a major relief when the Supreme Court granted her conditional bail and suspended the sentence of four years simple imprisonment given by the trial court in Bangalore in the 18-year-old illegal assets case.
Earlier, 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. 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.
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 policemen, including city armed reserve, were posted in and around the prison, with authorities clamping prohibitory orders anticipating huge flow of AIADMK supporters.
With the AIADMK chief enjoying 'Z' Plus category, police had stepped up security supervised by senior officials and barricaded the 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 the movement of vehicles from the neighbouring state into the city. The jail is located about 20 km 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.