Before the despair, some hope

Having learnt from an experience on October 1 when many were not allowed entry as they were not wearing their black coats, most of the lawyers attached to the AIADMK turned up at the court on Tuesday in their formal legal attire.

When arguments concluded around 4 pm with special public prosecutor Bhavani Singh stating that he had no objections to the court granting conditional bail to Jayalalithaa, there were smiles all around.

As the judge began dictating his order — noting at first the SPP’s stand — many of those present in the court were typing the message “bail granted” on their phones or passing on similar messages to others standing outside the hall. In the 10 minutes that the judge was dictating his orders, news spread that Jayalalithaa had been granted conditional bail. Many of the supporters broke into a jig outside the court premises.

Nearly 25 km away, outside the Bangalore Central Prison, there was celebration and dancing too. The joy of the AIADMK supporters was, however, shortlived when the import of the full order emerged a little later.

The judge had rejected Jayalalithaa’s bail plea.

“We can’t believe the bail plea is rejected. We have to go to a higher court now,” said M Venugopal, an AIADMK legal cell member.