Special bench of Karnataka HC to hear Jayalalithaa's bail plea on Wednesday

Bangalore: In a big relief for AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, a special bench of the Karnataka High Court will on Wednesday hear her plea, which challenges former Tamil Nadu chief minister's conviction in the disproportionate assets while seeking bail.

The development came hours after the vacation bench of the High Court adjourned hearing on Jayalalithaa's plea till October 6.

The decision was taken after AIADMK chief's lawyers filed a memorandum before the Karnakata High Court seeking speedy hearing in the case.

Earlier when the matter came up, G Bhavani Singh, who was the Special Public Prosecutor in the Special Court on the disproportionate assets case, told the judge that he had not yet received any official notification appointing him as the SPP for the criminal appeal filed in the High Court.

Singh sought more time, at which point vacation bench judge Justice Rathnakala posted the matter for hearing on October 6.

In her petitions seeking immediate bail and challenging her sentence, Jayalalithaa has maintained that the charges of amassing wealth against her were false and that she had acquired property through legal means.

Jayalalitha has also contended that the trial court has overlooked several judgements and has not considered the binding nature of various income tax orders and decisions of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, which had accepted the income and the level of expenditure pleaded by her.

The former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's aide Sasikala, her relatives V N Sudhakaran, disowned son of the former Chief Minister, and Ilavarasi have also moved the High Court seeking bail and challenging their conviction.

In the verdict that cost Jayalalithaa the Chief Minister's job and disqualified her from being an MLA, the judge had also slapped a staggering fine of Rs 100 crore on her and Rs 10 crore each on the three other accused persons.

In her appeal, Jayalalithaa pleaded for suspension of the conviction and the sentence and also refused to pay the Rs 100 crore fine imposed on her.

The hearing came up before the vacation bench as the High Court is on Dasara holidays from September 29 to October 6.

With PTI Inputs