Police yesterday tightened security in and around Parapanna Agrahara in the city’s southern suburb for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who has been directed to be present in a makeshift court, set up near the central jail, for the judgment in an 18-year-old disproportionate assets case today.
“We have made foolproof arrangements in and around the central jail for Jayalalithaa’s security on the direction of the special court judge (John Michael Cunha),” city additional commissioner of police (law & order) Alok Kumar told reporters here.
Jayalalithaa has been charged with acquiring assets - valued at Rs670mn - disproportionate to known sources of her income during 1991-96 when she served as Tamil Nadu’s chief minister in her first term.
Though the judgment was scheduled for September 20 in a city civil court, it was postponed to today after Jayalalithaa filed a petition seeking to shift the court to a suitable location citing security reasons.
As Jayalalithaa has Z-plus security cover, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu police have taken special measures to prevent any untoward incident when she appears in person to hear the judgment along with three other accused.
The three other accused are Jayalalithaa’s associate V K Sasikala, Sasikala’s nephew V N Sudhakaran and sister-in-law J Illavarasi.
“In addition to about 2,000 police personnel stationed within a 1km radius of the jail premises, platoons from the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), Border Security Force and City Armed Reserve (CAR) have been deployed in the area for beefing up the security,” Kumar said after reviewing the arrangements.
About 5,000 police personnel in civil dress will be deployed across the city to maintain vigil and ensure law and order.
Two joint commissioners of police, 17 assistant commissioners of police and 50 inspectors will be on duty at the venue to supervise the security arrangements.