A special court in Bengaluru on Friday granted bail to former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader VK Sasikala in connection with a case alleging preferential treatment to her in prison, PTI reported.

The court also granted bail to Sasikala’s sister-in-law J Ilavarasi. The two were named in a chargesheet filed by the Anti Corruption Bureau of Karnataka in connection with the case.

Sasikala, who was a close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa, was sentenced to four years in prison in a disproportionate assets case on February 14, 2017. She was released from the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru in 2021.

In 2017, former Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) D Roopa had flagged the special treatment granted to Sasikala, and had released pictures of a pressure cooker and vessels in her cell. She had also claimed that Sasikala was allowed to wear civilian clothes instead of clothes meant for prisoners, according to PTI.

An inquiry committee report on the directions of the state government had shown that Sasikala was provided A-class facilities even though no instructions regarding such provisions had been given.

In December, the Karnataka government had sanctioned the prosecution of the accused and a chargesheet in the case was filed on January 7 this year, according to PTI.

Apart from Sasikala and Ilavarasi, the anti-corruption agency had named the then chief superintendent of Central Prison Krishna Kumar, superintendent of police (prisons) R Anita and prison officials named Suresh and Gajaraj in the matter, according to The Times of India.

During Friday’s hearing, the special court for the Prevention of Corruption Act in the city ordered Sasikala and Ilavarasi to pay a bond of Rs 3 lakh. The two were asked to appear before the court on April 16 again.

Meanwhile, Kumar and Anita were granted a stay from the Karnataka High Court against the Anti-Corruption Bureau inquiry, PTI reported, citing unidentified officials.