NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, MARCH 21
The Justice Arumugasamy Commission probing into late Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa’s death questioned ex-Deputy CM O Paneerselvam (OPS) and Sasikala’s sister-in-law Ilavarasi on Monday. When asked about his involvement denied any knowledge about the late CM’s treatment or why she was admitted to Apollo Hospital. Jayalalithaa passed away in 2016 after a prolonged hospital stay.
“I don’t know anything. I do not know what treatment was given to former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at Apollo Hospital and by which team of doctors. I had no knowledge even as to why Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital. I came to know only about it after hearing from the Chief Secretary in the hospital,” said OPS to the Commission.
- Both DMK and AIADMK have promised a thorough probe into the AIADMK veteran’s demise.
Recently, in January, the DMK govt granted yet another extension to the Justice Arumughaswamy Commission probing into Jayalalithaa’s death. The Commission which was due to expire on January 24 has been given time till June 24 for the probe. Throughout the AIADMK govt’s tenure, the Commission which was formed in September 2017, was given 7 extensions.
In 2017, two months prior to the then-CM Jayalalitha’s death, senior AIADMK leader PH Pandian had alleged that Jayalalithaa had collapsed after she was pushed at her Poes Garden residence, leading to hospitalisation, as per reports. Claiming that her closest confidante VK Sasikala had allegedly administered ‘slow poison’ in small doses or gradual overdose’ of her diabetes medicine to Jayalalitha, several AIADMK leaders had sought a probe into the leader’s death, as per reports. Jayalalithaa passed away on December 5, 2016 at Chennai’s Apollo Hospital due to a cardiac arrest.
The Madras High Court had on April 4, 2019, rejected Apollo Hospital’s objections to an inquiry commission set up to probe the death of Jayalalithaa looking into aspects of treatment given to her. Apollo Hospitals had offered to up a medical board to assist the panel during the inquiry. However, a Supreme Court bench led by then-CJI Ranjan Gogoi had stayed the proceedings of the inquiry commission.
However, recently, the Supreme Court has directed the constitution of a medical board comprising AIIMS doctors to assist the Commission. The Commission is probing the appropriateness, efficacy, adequacy or inadequacy of the treatment given to Jayalalithaa during her 75-day hospitalisation in 2016. Both DMK and AIADMK have promised a thorough probe into the AIADMK veteran’s demise.
