: The district that witnessed sporadic violent incidents in 2014 after Jayalalithaa and others were convicted in the disproportionate assets case did not see any such incident on Tuesday after the Supreme Court upheld the trial court’s verdict necessitating the four-year imprisonment of V.K. Sasikala and her sister-in-law J. Ilavarasi and nephew V.N. Sudhakaran.
In fact, the verdict was welcomed with crackers and sweets even by the AIADMK functionaries.
When trial court Judge John Michael D’ Cunha sentenced Jayalalithaa, her close confidante Sasikala, Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran to four year imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs. 100 crore on the then Chief Minister on September 27, 2014, the AIADMK men blocked the road and burnt the effigy of the judge to register their protest. Even as the AIADMK supremo had been lodged in the Parapana Agrahara prison in Karnataka, agitations and prayers continued across the district.
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After the foursome was released following the acquittal by Karnataka High Court Judge Justice Kumarasamy, it triggered instant celebrations and thanksgiving prayers. Contrary to it, the Supreme Court’s verdict against the acquittal of all the four too triggered wild jubilations among people from various walks of life. In fact, the conviction was celebrated with crackers and sweets even by the AIADMK cadres, who termed it as a great relief to Tamil Nadu and the party.
A group of ruling AIADMK cadres, led by ‘Sudha’ Murugan burst crackers and distributed sweets at Tirunelveli Junction to celebrate the conviction of Sasikala and others. “The AIADMK, founded by MGR and transformed into a ‘steel fortress’ by Amma, has been saved through this judgement. Above all, the verdict has saved Tamil Nadu,” said Mr. Murugan.
Similar celebrations were organised at Tirunelveli Town, Samathanapuram and NGO Colony in the city and various parts of the district.
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When a group of traders tried to celebrate the occasion with crackers, the police denied permission and seized the crackers that triggered heated argument between the celebrants and the law-enforcers.
Anticipating violent incidents, police personnel had been deployed at vulnerable points. However, no such incidents took place in any part of the district till evening.