Bail must be granted to J Jayalalithaa: Ram Jethmalani tells Karnataka High Court

BANGALORE: Jailed AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa must be granted immediate bail pending hearing of her appeal against the verdict of the Special Court convicting her in the disproportionate assets case, senior counsel Ram Jethmalani appearing for her told the Karnataka High Court today.

Arguing for the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jethmalani pleaded for suspension of the sentence by the Special Court which had sent her to four years in jail.

Jethmalani pleaded for suspending the sentence pending appeal under Section 389 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Under Section 389, pending any appeal by a convicted person, the Appellate Court may order that the execution of the sentence or order appealed against be suspended. Also, if the person is in confinement, that he or she be released on bail, or on own bond.

The "regular practice" was to give bail, Jethmalani told Justice A V Chandrashekhara, who took up the matter which was posted for today by the vacation bench on October 1.

Jethmalani cited the Lalu Prasad case in the fodder scam, in which he appeared for him, to press for bail for Jayalalithaa, who is lodged at Parapana Agrahara central prison here since September 27.

The High Court had refused bail in the Lalu case but it was granted by the Supreme Court, he said.

Jethmalani also said appeals should be heard within a reasonable period of time.

He said there was nothing disclosed in the conduct of the Jayalalithaa to show that she might abscond.

Criticising the judgement of the Special Court in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate case, he said assets prior to the period between 1991 and 1996 (when Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister) could not be taken into account.

Matters in favour of the accused must be treated with equal importance, he said. The accused must stand a chance unless the prosecution can prove that it is absolutely false.

The court then adjourned for a break.