Indian court convicts powerful politician for graft

An Indian court on Saturday convicted Jayalalithaa Jayaram, a former film star who became one of the country’s most colourful and controversial politicians, in a corruption case that has dragged on for nearly two decades.

The chief minister of the prosperous southern state of Tamil Nadu was charged with amassing illegal wealth in 1997, when police seized assets including 28 kilos (62 pounds) of gold, 750 pairs of shoes and more than 10,000 saris in a raid on her home.

Prosecutors said her assets, which reportedly included two 1,000-acre estates in the lush tropical state she ran, were vastly disproportionate to her earnings during her first term as chief minister, which ran from 1991 to 1996.

Jayalalithaa was found guilty of “amassing wealth disproportionate to known sources of her income,” prosecutor G. Bhavani Singh told reporters outside the makeshift court in the southern city of Bangalore where she was convicted.

Singh said the judge may sentence Jayalalithaa later Saturday and that she could face up to seven years in jail.

But Indian media speculated that Jayalalithaa, who runs the third largest party in India’s national parliament, would have to resign as chief minister after the verdict regardless of the sentence.

Hundreds of party loyalists had come to Bangalore to show support for their leader, and many were in tears after the verdict.

“She will come out victorious, she will come out stronger,” one supporter told NDTV news channel.

The 66-year-old politician enjoys huge popularity in Tamil Nadu, a manufacturing hub, where she is known to her fans simply as “Amma” (Mother).

Her AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party emerged as third biggest force in the national parliament after winning 37 of the 39 parliamentary seats in the state in this year’s general election.