Jayalalithaa is dead: A chronology of events leading to her return as CM

Chennai: Chronology of major milestones in the four-decade political career of AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa who passed away on Tuesday night. 24 June 1991: Sworn in Chief Minister for the first time after she leads AIADMK to a huge win in assembly elections. May 1996: Amidst charges of corruption during its rule, AIADMK loses in the assembly elections. DMK returns to power. [caption id=“attachment_3140726” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Jayalalithaa. Reuters[/caption] 11 July 1996: Then Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy files private complaint in a court accusing Jayalalithaa of amassing wealth worth Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate to her known sources of income during 1991 to 1996. 7 December: Jayalalithaa arrested. Charges of corruption, including accumulation of disproportionate assets, follows. April, 1997: DMK Government sets up three special courts to try 47 corruption cases against Jayalalithaa, her former cabinet colleagues and others. 1997: Prosecution launched against Jayalalithaa, her close friend Sasikala and two others in a Chennai Court in DA case. 4 June 1997: Charge-sheeted in DA case. 1999: Discharged in coal import deal case by special court; upheld by Madras High Court. 2 February 2000: Special court convicts her in Pleasant Stay Hotel case related to permission granted for construction allegedly flouting rules. October 2000: A special court in Chennai convicts Jayalalithaa in TANSI land deal case. May 14, 2001: Jayalalithaa leads AIADMK to landslide win in assembly elections; Sworn in Chief Minister though she was disqualified to contest elections. 21 September 2001: Jayalalithaa unseated as CM after Supreme Court quashes her appointment as she was disqualified to contest polls due to TANSI case conviction. 4 December: Madras High Court acquits Jayalalithaa in the TANSI case and Pleasant Stay Hotel case. 21 February 2002: Jayalalithaa elected to Assembly in a bypoll from Andipatti constituency. 2 March: Jayalalithaa sworn in Chief Minister. 18 November 2003: On a petition by DMK, Supreme Court transfers the trial in DA case to Bengaluru. 24 November: Supreme Court upholds Jayalalithaa’s acquittal in TANSI case. 23 January 2004: Acquitted by a special court in the Rs 28.28 crore SPIC disinvestment case. 11 May 2006: AIADMK loses in assembly elections, DMK returns to power. 16 May 2011: Jayalalithaa leads AIADMK to victory in assembly polls; sworn in as Chief Minister. October/November 2011: Jayalalithaa deposes in Bengaluru Special Court in DA case and answers 1,339 questions by judge. 27 September 2014: The Special Court holds Jayalalithaa and three others guilty of corruption, awards four years’ jail term to each, slaps Rs 100 crore fine on her, Rs 10 crore each on three other accused. Jayalalithaa unseated as Chief Minister after she attracts disqualification as an MLA due to the conviction. 18 October 2014: Jayalalithaa granted bail by Supreme Court, released from Bengaluru jail after spending 21 days. 11 May 2015: Karnataka High Court acquits Jayalaithaa. 22 May: Jayalalithaa elected leader of AIADMK legislature party. 23 May: Sworn in as Chief Minister for fifth time. 19 May 2016: Leads AIADMK to a record consecutive win in assembly elections. 22 September: Admitted to Apollo Hospitals with complaints of fever and dehydration. 2 Octtober: Hospital says CM being treated for infection, improving. 21 October: Hospital says Jayalalithaa interacting. 4 November: Hospital Chairman P C Reddy says Jayalalithaa “completely recovered”; she has to decide when to go home. 12 November: Apollo says Jaya needs recuperation, no date fixed for discharge. 13 November: In her first direct communication since her hospitalisation, Jayalalithaa says she has taken ‘rebirth’ because of people’s prayers; urges them to vote for AIADMK in the November 19 bypolls to three assembly constituencies. 19 November: Jayalalithaa shifted to private room from Critical Care Unit. 22 November: Jayalalithaa thanks voters for electing her party candidates in polls. 25 November: PC Reddy says Jayalalithaa speaking using tracheostomy tube valve. 4 December: AIADMK says AIIMS expert team confirms Jayalalithaa has recovered completely. 4 December: Jayalalithaa suffers massive cardiac arrest; put on extracorporeal membrane heart assist device. 5 December: Jayalalithaa passes away at 11.30 PM.