Jayalalithaa released from Bangalore jail, arrives in Chennai

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa arrived in Chennai Saturday by a special aircraft on being released from the Bangalore jail after the Supreme Court granted her bail.

AIADMK cadres were jubilant and celebrated the release of Jayalalithaa who spent 21 days in prison.

"Jayalalithaa left the jail after completing the formalities. She is fine and in good health," Karnataka Inspector General of Prisons (IGP) K.V. Gagandeep told IANS minutes after she walked free at 3.15 p.m. and waved to the crowd at Parapanna Agrahara on Bangalore's outskirt.

A special court Sep 27 convicted Jayalalithaa in the Rs.66.65-crore disproportionate assets' case and sentenced her to four years simple imprisonment, with a fine of Rs.100 crore under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

O Pannerselvam, who was sworn in Tamil Nadu chief minister after Jayalalithaa stepped down, a few cabinet ministers and 50 lawmakers of the ruling AIADMK greeted her.

Her three associates -- Sasikala Natarajan, V Sudhakaran and J Elavarisi, who were released along with her from the jail, accompanied her.

A special court ordered Jayalalithaa's release after the Supreme Court Friday granted her an interim bail in the corruption case.

A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu stayed the four-year jail term sentence and granted an interim bail to Jayalalithaa till December 18 in a corruption case that dragged on for 18 years.

"The special court judge (John Michael D'Cunha) issued the order after Jayalalithaa's counsel furnished a bond of Rs.2 crore and two sureties of assets were submitted by her known persons," Gagandeep said.

The two sureties of properties valued at Rs.5 crore and Rs.1 crore were given by J. Bharat and Gunajyothi, who are party cadres in the city.

The release order was issued after Jayalalithaa's counsel submitted to the court a certified copy of the apex court order, suspending her four-year jail term and granting her an interim bail till Dec 18.

Hundreds of Jayalalithaa's ardent fans and frenzied supporters from the city and Hosur across the border lined up on both sides of the Bangalore thoroughfares and cheered her as her convoy sped away towards the airport.

Many AIADMK cadres danced, clapped and waived party flags, while others burst firecrackers at junctions en-route raising slogans in favour of their aamma' (mother) and denouncing at the same time DMK president M. Karunanidhi.

"Jayalalithaa was set free after we verified the court order along with the bond and surety papers given for her release. She also signed the jail register where her name was entered as prisoner number 7402," state Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of prisons P.M. Jaisimha told IANS.

The court also issued separate orders to release Sasikala, Sudhakaran and Elavarisi, after they furnished a bond of Rs.1 crore each and gave sureties as specified by the judge.

The trio was also granted bail by the apex court in the same graft case, in which they were also convicted and sentenced to four years jail term with a fine of Rs.10 crore each.

Ecstatic supporters welcomed Jayalalithaa in Chennai.

AIADMK cadres assembled in large numbers shouted 'Long Live Amma'.

Jayalalithaa drove straight to her residence in Poes Garden area. Party cadres - men and women - braving heavy rains were assembled outside her residence and the airport to have a glimpse of their leader.

They also lined up on both the sides of the road outside the airport to wish Jayalalithaa.