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Lakshmi Subramanian
Lakshmi Subramanian

CHENNAI

Months after announcement, Jaya death probe a non-starter

PTI4_25_2016_000077B (File) Former chief J. Jayalalithaa | PTI

If an inquiry commission is set up as announced by Palaniswami, at least 17 who were closely monitoring Jayalalithaa’s health will be ushered into the spotlight

  • Apollo’s medical summary, which was signed by Sasikala and Panneerselvam, has complete details of the treatment administered, her health throughout the period she was administered. “Upon evaluation, the late honourable chief minister was diagnosed with infection and dehydration, accompanied by respiratory distress and altered sensorium"

On August 17, when Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami ordered a judicial probe into the mysterious circumstances behind the death of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, AIADMK activists were hopeful that justice would prevail. A week later, when rebel leader O. Panneerselvam walked into the AIADMK party office at Llyods Road, the cadres put two and two together. The merger happened. Panneerselvam was sworn in as the deputy chief minister of the state, a portfolio that was not instituted by the party for the past four decades, on August 21.

Flanked by his cabinet colleagues, the chief minister was all smiles when he said, “the state government will soon appoint an inquiry commission headed by a retired judge to inquire into Amma’s death.” However, Palaniswami refused to reveal the names of the retired Justice who would head the probe.

A month has passed by. Forget an inquiry commission, the government has not even issued a government order in this regard.

What we know about Jaya's health

In March, the Palaniswami-led state government was compelled to release the full medical summary issued by Apollo Hospitals on the day Jayalalithaa was declared dead, after party rebel O. Panneerselvam demanded a CBI probe into Jayalalithaa’s death. Health Minister C. Vijayabhaskar and Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan released the statements and treatment details issued by the team of AIIMS doctors who monitored the treatment provided to Jayalalithaa.

Apollo’s medical summary, which was signed by Sasikala and Panneerselvam, has complete details of the treatment administered, her health throughout the period she was administered. “Upon evaluation, the late honourable chief minister was diagnosed with infection and dehydration, accompanied by respiratory distress and altered sensorium [drowsy and not responding to verbal commands]. She was admitted in a very critical condition in the Multi Disciplinary Critical Care Unit (MDCCU) after initial treatment in the emergency room,” said Apollo’s report.

PTI8_18_2017_000181B

On the same day, speaking to the media, the health secretary clarified that, “there were pre-existing comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, asthmatic bronchitis and hypothyroidism, but clearly the treatment report of Apollo and AIIMS do not mention any evidence of trauma or any other event as alleged by certain political leaders.” The jibe was aimed at leaders of the opposing OPS faction.

Why it is brought up now

Forest Minister Dindigul Srinivasan revealed at a public meeting on Friday that, contrary to government assertions, "we all lied then by saying that our Amma ate idli and drank water. Please forgive us for lying. We did not even meet her. No political leader—be they ministers from Delhi or even the state governor—could meet Amma.”

True, she died under very suspicious circumstances. In fact, the two judge bench comprising Justice Parthiban and Justice S. Vaidyanathan, who heard multiple PILs in December, pointed out, “We saw in the newspapers that the chief minister was recovering—that she was eating, walking, signing papers, and even conducting meetings. Suddenly, she was dead.” The judges pointed out that no revenue division officer had seen Jayalalithaa’s body and, under state laws, the RDO was responsible for a spot preliminary probe in case a death was deemed suspicious. However, the PILs were later set aside.

Despite all this, the government is reluctant to appoint an inquiry commission. Reportedly, T.T.V. Dhinakaran said that the family was in possession of videos of Jayalalithaa in the hospital, and that they will release the same whenever required. In his latest press conference, Dhinakaran said, “Sasikala, too, did not go into the MDCCU after October 1.”

However, if an inquiry commission is set up as announced by Palaniswami, at least 17 who were closely monitoring Jayalalithaa’s health will be ushered into the spotlight—V.K. Sasikala, Jayalalithaa’s secretary Poongundran, former government advisor Sheela Balakrishnan, O. Panneerselvam, Tamil Nadu government’s Dr Balaji, Health Minister Dr Vijayabhaskar, his secretary Radhakrishnan, T.T.V. Dhinakaran, Dr Richard Beale from London, former chief secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao, and Jayalalithaa’s niece.

In fact, if Srinivasan’s statement stands true, it raises doubts as to how Jayalalithaa chaired a meeting on Cauvery, and how her fingerprints were used to nominate her party candidates for Aravakurichi, Thanjavur and Thiruparankundram elections.

The merger might have happened, and OPS might have got plump portfolios, but the pre-condition for the merger and an impending reason to launch a dharma yudham in Tamil Nadu is still hanging in the air.

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Topics : #Jayalalithaa

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