DHAKA: The Karnataka high court acquitted on Monday former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in a corruption case, clearing the decks for her return to the state's top job.

Jayalalithaa had appealed against her conviction in the Rs 66.64-crore disproportionate assets case by a Bengaluru trial court, which had sentenced her to 4 years in jail and slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore.

The AIADMK chief, along with aides N Sasikala, VN Sudhakaran and J Elasvarasi, was held guilty of holding unaccounted for income during her tenure as chief minister from 1991-96 by the trial court in September last year.

Her close aide Sasikala and Sasikala’s relatives Sudhakaran and Elavarasi were fined Rs 10 crore each. The lower court had convicted them after a trial lasting 18 long years.

Along with Jayalalithaa, all three others were also acquitted by the high court, reports Hindustan Times.

BDST: 1205 HRS, MAY 11, 2015
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