Chennai celebrates Amma's homecoming

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo J Jayalalithaa on Saturday walked out of a Bangalore prison following Supreme Court granting her bail in a graft case, arriving to a grand homecoming with scores of avid supporters turning up to welcome her despite heavy downpour.

The 66-year-old former Tamil Nadu chief minister stepped out of Parappana Agrahara

At Chennai, where security was stepped up ahead of Jayalalithaa's arrival, slogan-shouting men and women AIADMK supporters thronged the airport as well as Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden residence, hailing their 'Puratchi Thalaivi' (Revolutionary Leader) who was released on bail after spending 21 days in the prison in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case since September 27, 2014.

A smiling Jayalalithaa waved back at her celebrating supporters.

Braving heavy downpour in Chennai that has been lashing the city for the past two days, scores of AIADMK supporters thronged the route from the airport to her Poes Garden residence even as flower petals were strewn at her motorcade by frenzied supporters in many places.

Partymen had put up banners and posters near the airport hailing 'Amma' (Mother), as she is addressed by her supporters, even as staunch AIADMK loyalists who turned up for a glimpse of their leader exuded confidence that she will successfully wade her way out of this case.

Jayalalithaa also stopped for a brief while to offer prayers at a temple.

In a major relief to Jayalalithaa on Friday, the Supreme Court had granted her conditional bail and suspended the sentence of four years' simple imprisonment given by the trial court in Bangalore in the 18-year old illegal assets case.

AIADMK supporters carrying Jayalalithaa's photos and holding flowers broke into celebrations as her motorcade passed through the heavily guarded route from the prison.