1996 to 2017: Twists and turns in DA case against Jaya, Sasikala

Following is the course of events in the disproportionate assets case against the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief V K Sasikala and others that witnessed legal turns in the last 19 years after the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham government decided to form Special Court on coming to power in 1996.

1996: Subramanian Swamy, then Janata Party chief, files a case against Jayalalithaa alleging that during her tenure as chief minister from 1991 to 1996, she amassed properties worth Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate to her known sources of income.

December 7, 1996: Jayalalithaa arrested. Many allegations follow, including accumulation of disproportionate assets.

1997: Prosecution launched in additional sessions court in Chennai against Jayalalithaa and three others for having assets 'disproportionate' to their known income.

June 4, 1997: Chargesheeted for offences under sections 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

October 1, 1997: Madras high court dismisses three petitions by Jayalalithaa including one challenging sanction granted by then Governor M Fathima Beevi for prosecuting her in the wealth case.

Trial progresses. By August 2000, 250 prosecution witnesses examined and only 10 more remained.

September 21, 2001: Jayalalithaa ceases to be chief minister.

February 21, 2002: After her conviction is set aside, Jayalalithaa is elected to the assembly in a bypoll from Andipatti constituency and again sworn-in as the CM.

2003: DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan approaches Supreme Court for transferring the trial to Karnataka on the ground that a fair trial was not possible in Tamil Nadu with Jayalalithaa as CM.

November 18, 2003: Supreme Court transfers the case to Karnataka high court.

February 19, 2005: The Karnataka government appoints B V Acharya, a former advocate general, as special public prosecutor to conduct the prosecution.

October/November 2011: Jayalalithaa deposes in the Special Court and answers 1,339 questions.

August 12, 2012: Acharya expresses his inability to continue as SPP. Karnataka government accepts his resignation in January, 2013 and discharges him from the case.

February 2, 2013: Karnataka government appoints G Bhavani Singh as SPP.

August 26, 2013: Karnataka government issues a notification withdrawing the appointment of Bhavani Singh as SPP without assigning any reason and without consulting the Chief Justice of Karnataka high court.

September 30,2013: Supreme Court quashes the notification withdrawing appointment of Bhavani Singh as SPP.

December 12, 2013: Special Court allows a plea by DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan and directs physical production of valuables and other assets seized from Jayalalithaa in 1997 and deposited in a Reserve Bank of India treasury in Chennai.

February 28, 2014: Special Court dismisses plea by the SPP, seeking a direction to produce before it the seized silver articles belonging to her. Judge says SPP had filed it only with the purpose of delaying the proceedings.

March 14/15, 2014: Special court imposes a cost of one-day salary on SPP Bhavani Singh for not resuming the final arguments citing ill-health.

March 18,2014: Singh moves Karnataka high court challenging the special court order imposing cost.

March 21, 2014: HC rejects his petition saying the order of the special court imposing cost was right.

August 28, 2014: Special court reserves judgment for September 20 and directs all the four accused, including Jayalalithaa, to appear before it on that date.

September 16, 2014: Special Court defers by a week to September 27 pronouncement of its verdict.

September 27, 2014: Special Court convicts Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and two others. Awards four years' prison term for Jayalalithaa, slaps Rs 100-crore fine.

September 29, 2014: Jayalalithaa moves Karnataka high court challenging conviction, seeks bail.

October 7, 2014: High court denies bail, citing 'no grounds' to do so.

October 9, 2014: Jayalalithaa moves Supreme Court seeking bail.

October 17, 2014: SC grants bail to Jayalalithaa.

October  18, 2014: After 21 days in prison, Jayalalithaa released from prison on bail. SC says it will ask Karnataka HC to complete hearing on appeal in three months' time.

December 18, 2014: SC extends Jayalalithaa's bail by four months. A bench headed by then Chief Justice of India H L Dattu orders that her appeal challenging conviction in Karnataka HC be conducted on day-to-day basis by a Special Bench.

February 26, 2015: DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan moves Supreme Court seeking stay of case against Jayalalithaa questioning impartiality of Special Public Prosecutor Bhawani Singh.

March  9, 2015: SC issues notices to Jayalalithaa and others on plea by Anbazhagan seeking removal of prosecutor.

March 11, 2015: Karnataka HC reserves order on appeal by Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and others, in the DA case.

April 15, 2015: SC gives split verdict on plea seeking removal of Bhawani Singh in Jayalalithaa's DA case before Karnataka HC, referred to larger bench.

April 28, 2015: B V Acharya appointed new SPP, files written submission before Karnataka HC praying for dismissal of Jayalalithaa's appeal.

May 8, 2015: Karnataka HC notification says Special Vacation Bench of Justice C R Kumaraswamy will pronounce verdict on Jayalalithaa's appeal on May 11, 2015.

May 11, 2015: Karnataka HC acquits Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and others.

May 23, 2015: Jayalalithaa returns as Tamil Nadu CM.

June 23, 2015: The Karnataka government moves SC against Jayalalithaa's acquittal.

July 27, 2015: SC issues notice to Jayalalithaa on appeal challenging her acquittal.

Feb 23, 2016: SC commences final hearing on the appeals against Jayalalithaa's acquittal.

Dec 5, 2016: Jayalalithaa dies after prolonged illness in Chennai, resulting in abatement of her trial in the case.

Feb 14, 2017: SC convicts Sasikala and her two relatives, V N Sudhakaran and Elavarasi by restoring the trial court verdict in toto directing them to serve the remaining jail term.