Jailed former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, undergoing four-year imprisonment in a graft case, was today refused bail by the Karnataka High Court which held that there were no grounds for it as corruption amounts to "violation of human rights" and must be dealt with seriously.
The order, that came as a blow to the 66-year-old AIADMK chief and shocked her supporters outside, was delivered by Justice A V Chandrashekhara despite the Special Public Prosecutor Bhavani Singh saying he had no objections to grant of conditional bail to her.
There "are no grounds" to give bail to Jayalalithaa. Corruption amounts to "violation of human rights" and leads to economic imbalance, the judge observed in his order delivered in a packed court room amidst tight security in the court complex.
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Jayalalithaa's lawyers are planning their next strategy on approaching the Supreme Court at the earliest to challenge the order. AIADMK MP and lawyer A Navaneethakrishnan said they are awaiting a word from Jayalalithaa who has been in the central prison here since her conviction on September 27.
The judge said corruption had become a "serious malady in human history" and noted that the Supreme Court has repeatedly directed that graft cases should be disposed of on top priority basis.
He also held that there is no reason to extend the benefit of suspension of sentence to the four accused, including Jayalalithaa.
Justice Chandrashekhara said corruption should not be lightly dealt with. It had to be dealt with seriously as otherwise, "it will become a disease in our society."
The SPP had earlier filed objections to suspension of the sentence and bail in writing but today told the court during hearing that conditional bail could be granted to Jayalalithaa and three others.
As word of the SPP's stance spread, celebrations broke out among delirious AIADMK supporters near the jail and the court as they burst crackers and danced in joy. But the celebrations were shortlived, giving way to a state of shock when the verdict was out. Women supporters wailed while some men laid themselves flat on the road.
Pleas by Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala and her relatives V N Sudhakaran, also disowned foster son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, and Ilavarasi, for suspension of sentence and bail were also rejected by the court.
"My client will take a call," senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, who appeared for Jayalalithaa, told PTI, after the verdict when asked whether they will approach the Supreme Court.
