Bangalore: Jailed All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief J Jayalalithaa moved Karnataka High Court on Monday seeking bail in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case.
Jaya's lawyers filed two petitions in the High Court. First, for suspension of punishment and the other seeking stay on state government's move to confiscate her properties.
Along with her, close aide Sasikala, her relatives V N Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi also approach High Court; seek bail and challenge conviction in the corruption case.
All four were on Saturday convicted by a special court in Bangalore in the 18-year-old corruption case. The former CM has also been fined Rs 100 crore.
While she stepped down as the CM, she also stood disqualified to contest elections for a period of 10 years. Jaya loyalist O Panneerselvam will take oath as the new chief minister of Tamil Nadu on Monday.
The High Court is on Dasara holidays from September 29 to October six and the petition may be taken up tomorrow during a scheduled hearing by a vacation bench. Since the sentencing is for a period more than three years, only the High Court can grant bail in Jayalalithaa's case.
A stay on the conviction would nullify the disqualification of Jayalalithaa as MLA. Unless the conviction
is overturned by a superior court, Jayalalithaa runs the risk of being barred from contesting elections for 10 years -- four years when she is in jail and six years after release.
Jayalalithaa is presently lodged in the Parappana Agrahara central jail in Bangalore, as also three others.
(With inputs from PTI)
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