September 29: Jayalalithaa's appeal against Special Court's conviction order was filed in the Karnataka High Court around 11 a.m. Her advocates filed the appeal, with a plea seeking suspension of sentence, in the High Court's registry section. Jayalalithaa’s aide Sasikala, her relatives V.N Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi also approached the High Court, seeking bail. Senior Supreme Court advocate Ram Jethmalani will represent Jayalalithaa with the defence team. O. Panneerselvam takes oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
September 28 (Sunday): Stray incidents of violence reported across Tamil Nadu
19:11: In Ooty a group of supporters burnt an effigy of DMK leader M.Karunanidhi opposite the municipal market,pulled down banners and hoardings of the DMK and staged road blockade agitations in busy areas like Charing Cross,Garden Road and the Coffee House junction.
In Coonoor, Gudalur, Kotagiri, Pandhalur and Manjoor also normal life was hit with most of the commercial establishments remaining closed.
18:37: Since buses have been suspended in many districts, share-autorickshaws are charging as much as Rs. 100 for a short distance of 5 km
Thanks to heavy police presence, no major problems have been reported in southern districts.
There is huge rush for trains in southern districts. Commuters heading to Chennai are lining up in Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari junctions.
Candidates appearing for TNPSC exams tomorrow in Chennai are anxious to know if the exams will be go on as scheduled.
Shops and establishments have not opened as a precautionary measure in many towns in this region. The Theni district administration has ordered closure of TASMAC outlets.
18:00 On Jayalalithaa's political future: She is disqualified from contest for the period of imprisonment (four years) and six years thereafter. A total of 10years. At the same time, she has the right of appeal. At the time of appeal, the sentence is usually suspended, but in rare, very rare cases, the court may grant stay of conviction. In such a situation, it may be argued that by getting a stay on conviction she has re-acquired the qualification to contest. In the event of there being no such stay, but only an order suspending the sentence and granting bail, she may be unable to contest until the High Court gives its final verdict on her appeal. If and when she re-acquires eligibility to contest, she has to come into the Assembly only through a by-election.
17:56: Shops remained closed at Ariyalur and towns such as Thirumanur, Jayamkondam, Andimandam and T.Pazhur in Ariylaur district. There was stone-pelting between the AIADMK and DMK cadres at Senthurai in which two persons were injured. Bus services remained suspended in most parts of the two districts.
.,17:55: Cadres of the AIADMK and the DMK pelted stones against each other after the former attacked the office of the former Union Minister A.Raja in Perambalur. The DMK cadres retaliated after some AIADMK supporters pelted stones at the office. AIADMK cadre also pulled down a 50-foot flag post of the DMK and damaged its base near Perambalur New Bus Stand. The party cadre also resorted to a road blockade near the bus stand for about 30 minutes and burnt effigies of DMK president M.Karunanidhi and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. Shops remained closed in Perambalur and Veppanthattai.
17:01: Jayalalithaa has been sentenced to four years in jail and fined Rs. 100 crore; each of the other accused have been sentenced to four years in jail and fined Rs. 10 crore. >Read full report
16:53: Verdict in Jayalalithaa case comes as a rude shock to the ruling AIADMK, casting a doubt over the 66-year-old leader’s political future ahead of the 2016 Assembly polls. >Read more
Jayalalithaa has earned the dubious distinction of becoming the first Chief Minister in the country to be found guilty under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
16:42: Situation near Bangalore Court: A bus full of AIADMK party workers taken out of Parappana Aagrahara by the police.
Prohibitory orders in Parappana Agrahara extended from 1 km radius of the court to 5 km now.
People huddled in groups are being chased away
(The remains of a bus which was set on fire following violence which erupted in the wake of the verdict against Jayalalithaa, at Kammalapalayam in Kancheepuram district on Saturday. Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan)
16:29: >Violence erupts in Tamil Nadu after Jayalalithaa conviction
16:04 Report from Bangalore: The crowd waiting near the Special Court on Hosur road is dispersing and the movement of traffic on the busy national highway is also smooth.
Meanwhile, the police have beefed up security around the court, awaiting the quantum of sentence.
T. Selvan, who came from Coimbatore this morning by train said he was disappointed. He said he is leaving to railway station to catch the train back home.
Many others are waiting to know the sentence that will be known shortly.
15.41: DMK supporters, wielding sticks and iron bars, guard Karunanidhi’s home
15.28: All roads leading to Mr. Karunanidhi's Gopalapuram residence have been cordoned off. A group of AIADMK cadre are still arguing with the policemen on security duty accusing them of conniving with the DMK leader.
15.25: In Coimbatore, AIADMK supporters march from the party office "Idhaya Deivam Maaligai" on Huzur across to Avanashi Road hardly 500m away raising slogans against the DMK and Karunanidhi. The procession ended in violence and even as the cadre started attacking the vehicles, the police intervened and diverted traffic. However, the cadre continued to resort to a road blockade.
Police diverted traffic off Avanashi Road and the entire otherwise busy stretch wore a deserted look. By 2.30 p.m., there were reports of the AIADMK cadre forcing shop keepers to down shutters across the city and rural areas.
The city and peripheral areas wore a deserted look with closed shops and empty streets by 3 p.m., even before the court was about to pronounce the quantum of sentence.
Effigies of Mr. Karunanidhi and DMK General Secretary K. Anbazhagan was reported on Avanashi Road, Pollachi and Karumbukkadai. A self-immolation bid was also reported from Palladam in the neighbouring Tirupur district. Bus services started thinning down as a matter of precaution.
As a matter of precaution, the DMK party office on Cross Cut Road in Coimbatore was closed by 3.15 p.m. and the AIADMK party office saw cadre with emotions running high resulting in slogan shouting.
15.13: Jayalalithaa convicted, what next? Can she appeal? Or is this it? Who becomes next CM now? >Read here
15.11: AIADMK supporters try to storm into DMK president M. Karunanidhi's Gopalapuram residence in Chennai. Pelt stones, a fight breaks out between the two party men. A DMK supporter sustains bleeding injuries. >Full report
15.08: Chennai Connect @ChennaiConnect tweets: Effigy burning at Lloyds Rd where AIADMK office is situated.
Effigy burning at Lloyds Rd where AIADMK office is situated. >pic.twitter.com/abnbVEkKZO
— Chennai Connect (@ChennaiConnect) >September 27, 201415.04: Shops and commercial establishments have started closing down across central districts following the conviction of Jayalalaithaa. Shops have been closed in Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Karur, Pudukottai and Perambalur.
15.03: At Puducherry, the Puducherry Road Transport Corporation has suspended its premier Volvo bus services to Chennai fearing violence in the wake of the Bangalore special court verdict holding Jayalalithaa guilty. The PRTC is adopting a wait and watch approach and will take a call on running long-haul Volvo buses scheduled later in the day and other regular services to destinations in Tamil Nadu according to the situation, an official said.
14.59: In Madurai.. the scene is a bit tense as reports of AIADMK cadres pelting stones in a few places are coming in. police have stepped up security near Subramanian Swamy's house in Madurai. TNSTC buses suspended to many southern districts from Madurai, but police say it's a precautionary step. Many shops around Meenakshi temple down shutters.
14:55 : Minutes after AIADMK partymen burnt the effigy of DMK leader M. Karunanidhi on Saturday afternoon, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation halted its services from the main bus stand in Erode.
TNSTC sources said the buses have been halted following information that damage would be caused to the vehicles by agitating AIADMK partymen. "We have asked for protection from the police department to operate the buses in batches," a senior official said.
While the early morning bus to Mysore had completed the trip and returned, a few buses that departed in the late morning hours were stopped at the Tamil Nadu border at Kolinjur.
However, the Karnataka State Transport Corporation Bus had not operated its bus service to Erode since morning. In view of the tense situation, other vehicles bound for Tamil Nadu from Karnkataka have been stopped at Chamaraj Nagar district bordering Tamil Nadu, Superintendent of Police M.R. Sibi Chakravarthy said.
After burning the effigy, the AIADMK partymen squatted on the road and blocked the traffic for a while. Soon after, a posse of police personnel rushed to the main bus stand and defused the situation.
Madurai: There are reports that AIADMK cadres are indulging in pelting stones on buses across Madurai region comprising nine districts in south Tamil Nadu.
Shops and establishments have downed shutters. TASMAC outlets have closed. Buses on the long run have been suspended apprehending problems by miscreants.
14.50: Tense situation prevails at Jayalalithaa’s constituency Srirangam. A group of partymen go around the temple town asking shops to close down. Many shopkeepers down shutters voluntarily. >Full report
The police were in small strength and were mutely watching the situation.
14:47: In Coimbatore, the AIADMK cadre marched from the party office "Idhaya Deivam Maaligai" situated on Huzur road towards Avanashi road, raising slogans against the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its leader M. Karunanidhi. The procession resulted in violence with the cadre attacking the vehicles. The police intervened and diverted the traffic. The cadres continued to resort to a road blockade.
By 2.30 p.m., there were reports of the AIADMK cadre forcing shop keepers to down shutters across the city and rural areas. The city and peripheral areas wore a deserted look with closed shops and empty streets by 3 p.m. Office goers began rushing home by 2.30 p.m. itself. Normal life was thrown out of gear.
There are reports from Avanashi Road, Pollachi and Karumbukkadai stating that the effigies of DMK leader M. Karunanidhi and General Secretary K. Anbazhagan were set on fire.
Incidents of self-immolation bids were reported from Coimbatore, Palladam and Tirupur.
Bus services have started thinning down. Bus stand at Gandhipuram witnessed hundreds of passengers waiting for hours together.
As a precautionary measure, the DMK party office on Cross Cut Road in Coimbatore was closed by 3.15 p.m. and the AIADMK party office saw cadre indulging slogan shouting.
In one attempt at Anna Statue on Avanashi Road, an AIADMK cadre who was setting ablaze an effigy suffered burn injuries and was rushed to the hospital.
14.40 : While the prosecution pressed for conviction, the accused sought a liberal approach due to their age. Section 13(2) and 13(1) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, under which she has been convicted attracts a minimum punishment of one year and a maximum sentence up to seven years.
14.35 : Jayalalithaa's aides, Sasikala, V.N. Sudhakaran and J. Ilavarasi have also been convicted under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 in the disproporrtionate assets case registered almost 18 years ago.
Judge John Michael Cunha pronounced the verdict at Gandhi Bhavan, in front of Bangalore Cenral Prison at Parappana Agrahara, where the court has been temporarily shifted for pronouncing the verdict in view of the Z+ security provided to Jayalalithaa.
14.15 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa convicted of all charges, SPP G. Bhavani Singh told The Hindu. Arguments on q uantum of sentence will begin at 3 p.m., Mr. Singh said adding the prosecution will press for maximum sentence for the four accused including Jayalalithaa. Consequently, according to the Peoples Representation Act, Jayalalithaa would be disqualified as an MLA and will lose her Chief Minister position instantlly. As a pointer, the National Flag on her car was removed. >Read here
13:10 : Even though the verdict is yet to come, the mood in the DMK camp is upbeat and hundreds of partymen have assembled outside M. Karunanidhi's Gopalapuram residence. They are celebrating.
12:39 : Police cane-charge AIADMK supporters who were trying to proceed towards the special court in Bangalore, PTI reports. As the AIADMK sympathisers attempted to break the security cordon at Hosur Road Junction near the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border, police pushed them back with ‘mild’ cane-charge.
12: 03 p.m: Premature celebrations at AIADMK HQ as supporters burst fireworks. There isn't any security in place.
11: 50 a.m: Lawyers emerging from the court say the verdict has been postponed to 1 p.m.
Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisami and Power Minister Natham Vishwanathan pacing around outside the court complex.
11: 39 a.m: Police resort to mild lathicharge against surging AIADMK supporters.
11: 28 a.m: A refresher about the case and a timeline of events as we wait for the judgment. >Read here
We have a series of questions coming in from our readers, our experts are answering them >here :
Q : Do you think DMK will gain political mileage if the verdict goes against Jaya.
Yes. The DMK will gain political mileage, more so in the 2016 Assembly elections
Q: Can Jayalalithaa put a case on DMK if she wins today?
A: For malicious prosecution? No, because it is the State which is prosecuting her. In her private capacity, she is free to file any case against anybody, but not through the government.
Q from @bhushan_tweets: What does exactly the sec 8(4) of Representation of the People Act say? How is it helping the politicians?
A: The section is no more valid. It has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. It was earlier used to protect sitting MLAs and MPs. It said when an MLA or MP is convicted while in office, the disqualification normally applicable to others will be deferred for three months. If an appeal is filed in the meantime, the disqualification is automatically stayed. This helped them continue in office without obtaining a favourable order on appeal.
Q: Who becomes next CM if Ms. Jayalaithaa gets convicted?
A: It's anybody's guess. There are many names doing the rounds. Finance Minister O.Panneerselvam, who on a similar occasion earlier became Chief Minister, and Visalakshi Nedunchezhian top the list.
Q: If convicted, can she appeal? Or is this it?
A: She has the right to appeal. This is only a Special Court.
As we wait for the judgement do head over to our >live chat with our in-house experts to clarify all your questions on the case.
10: 50 a.m: A large number of AIADMK supporters arrive in Bangalore.
10: 40 a.m: Five Ministers whose vehicles were stuck in a traffic jam are walking towards the venue : O. Paneerselvam, Power Minister Nattam Vishwanatham, Housing board Minister Vaidyalingam, Highways Minister Yedapadi Palaniswamy, Rural Development Minister Pa. Mohan
10: 38 a.m: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa arrives at the Bangalore Court complex clad in a green saree, considered lucky for her. With her were close aide Sasikala, VN Sudhakaran and J Ilavarasi.
10: 36 a.m: Traffic movement has been stopped on Hosur Road.
10: 30 a.m: Jayalalithaa to arrive in a few minutes to Parapana Agrahara. Anxiety high among followers as the police make arrangements with alternative route.
>#AIADMK cadre at the party headquarters in Chennai gather, raising slogans praising their leader. >pic.twitter.com/S2ZnN1GS3Q
— Chennai Connect (@ChennaiConnect) >September 27, 201410: 25 a.m: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on her way to the Special Court in Gandhi Bhavan at Parapana Agrahara, police sources say.
10: 07 a.m: Most AIADMK big-wigs take position 20 metres away from court with VVIP passes. Rajya Sabha MP Navaneethakrishnan waves to the media.
If convicted, Jayalalithaa will face immediate disqualification as Member of the Legislative Assembly and will have to relinquish office.
If acquitted, it will free her of all charges, further reinforcing her claim that the case was based on rival DMK's political vendetta.
9:59 a.m: Meanwhile, the AIADMK headquarters in Chennai wears a deserted look.
9:50 a.m: Judge John Michael Cunha arrives at Parapana Agrahara with full security.
Man of the moment: Judge John Michael Cunha : >Read
9:40 a.m: All cameras are set for the big verdict. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is expected here after 10:30 a.m.
9.33 am: Several leaders and supporters of AIADMK gathered on Hosur Road to welcome Jayalalithaa leading to huge traffic jam on roads leading to Special Court venue.
9:24 a.m: All shops near the Bangalore Court have been shut today.
9.24 a.m.: The AIADMK's Karnataka State Unit president Pugazhandi has put out a series of banners and posters from Outer Ring Road junction leading to the venue of Special Court near Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara. All shops forced shut near court
9.15 a.m.: AIADMK workers bring traffic to a standstill on Hosur Road en route court complex
All eyes at the Parappana Agrahara prison complex, where the judgment is set to be pronounced: >Read
9:10 a.m: Jayalalithaa has reached Chennai airport and is to fly to Bangalore shortly
Helipad being readied in Bangalore ahead of Ms. Jayalalithaa's landing .
9.07 a.m.: TN Minister B.V. Ramana left for the court complex
8.45 a.m: AIADMK workers flood Bangalore with posters of Amma. A taste of Chennai in Bangalore?
8: 30 a.m: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa left her Poes Garden residence in Chennai. Expected to reach airport at 9 am and take special aircraft to Bangalore. Read >here
Silver articles and gold ornaments found at Ms. Jayalalithaa's residence in 1997. The Hindu Archives
All you need to know about the case today: Timeline of events and more. Read >here
An epic trial that witnessed a see-saw battle for 18 years reaches its climax today. The case against her is that she acquired wealth worth Rs. 66.65 crore during her stint as Chief Minister between 1991 and 1996, and that she was abetted in this by her aide Ms. Sasikala and two of her relatives, V.N. Sudhakaran (Ms. Jayalalithaa’s former foster son) and J. Ilavarasi. The defence has argued that there was no evidence to show that three of them were ‘benamis’ of Ms. Jayalalithaa and that all four have accounted for their assets through legitimate means.
Follow this space for live updates.
Published - September 27, 2014 09:11 am IST
