A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justices Madan B. Lokur and A.K. Sikri also granted bail to the three other accused Sasikala, Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi on their furnishing two solvent sureties to the satisfaction of the special judge, Bangalore. The Bench stayed the operation of the sentence imposed by the trial court on the four accused.

The Bench, after hearing senior counsel Fali Nariman for Ms. Jayalalithaa, and senior counsel K.T.S. Tulsi for the other accused, said that the four convicts should not delay the trial and must ensure that the papers for the appeals were kept ready in two months.

The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on December 18 to give further directions to the Karnataka High Court to dispose of the appeals within three months if the papers were made ready in two months.

Appearing in person, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy argued that as the original complainant, the court should consider the conduct of the AIADMK party men indulging in violence after her detention in prison. There was caricature and cartoons criticizing the trial judge that because he was a Kannadiga he denied bail to her. I am facing threat if I go to Chennai. If only Ms. Jayalalithaa had given a statement asking her party men not to indulge in such violent activities this could have been put to an end.”

The CJI, taking note of Dr. Swamy’s submissions, made it clear to Mr. Nariman that such violent incidents should not happen and there must be a clear direction to this effect to the party men. Mr. Nariman assured that Ms. Jayalalithaa herself would issue a statement asking her party men to remain quiet.”(KH)