Arrested former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will know on Monday if he will spend Diwali in jail or get bail in two corruption cases ahead of the festival of lights.
Justice B.V. Pinto of the Karnataka High Court is expected to give his ruling on the bail plea of Yeddyurappa filed last Monday, two days after he was arrested and sent to judicial custody.
The arrested Bharatiya Janata Party leader's counsel pleaded for releasing him on a week's bail in view of Diwali.
In Karnataka, the festival is celebrated on October 25 (Naraka Chaturdasi) and October 27 (Balipadyami).
Yeddyurappa has moved two petitions in the high court - one for interim bail and another for regular bail. The interim bail plea was filed because hearing on regular bail application takes time.
The former chief minister has been jailed in two of the five cases of corruption and illegal land deals filed by two Bengaluru advocates Sirajin Bhasha and K.N. Balaraj in January.
Their counsel C.H. Hanumantharaya has been stoutly opposing even interim bail for Yeddyurappa.
If the high court does not decide on Monday, its next sitting is on October 28 as it is closed for Diwali for three days from October 25.
The bail plea of former Muzrai (endowments) minister S.N. Krishnaiah Shetty, arrested along with Yeddyurappa in the two cases, will also be heard on Monday. Both the former chief minister and Shetty are lodged in the central prison in Bangalore's eastern suburb Parappana Agrahara.