Justice A. Arumughasamy commission probing the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, on Saturday released to the media, two audio recordings of Jayalalithaa, of 52 seconds, when she was in the hospital. The commission also released a three-page list of diet-cum-health chart written in green ink by Jayalalithaa herself, in August 2016. The list has the stamp of Arumughasamy commission with page numbers marked in it.
Dr K.S. Shivakumar, co-brother of TTV Dhinakaran and Sasikala’s relative, who was also the personal doctor of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had deposed before the commission in January this year. In his statement then to the commission, Shivakumar informed about the pre-hospitalisation diet and health chart written by Jayalalithaa herself and also about the audio recording on September 27 at the Apollo hospital on her sugar levels and breathing.
The audio recording and the diet list were submitted to the commission by Shivakumar’s lawyer Raja Senthoor Pandian on Saturday, after which it was released to the media. However, the hand written papers of diet and health chart that Jayalalithaa followed for maintaining good health, months before her hospitalisation and the audio recorded on her sugar levels and breathing trouble she had, released now, have raised doubts.
Here is what Jayaalithaa talks to the doctor in the two audio clips clubbed together for 52-seconds
Audio 1 (Translated to English from Tamil)
Jayalalithaa: Are you able to take now?
Shivakumar: There is nothing now.
Jayalalithaa: I called you when it was there?
Shivakumar: Could not download the application then.
Jaya: You do one for the other
Jaya: If you are not able to take it leave it
Jaya: I have wheezing. It is like sitting in the first row in the theatre and blowing a whistle
Audio 2 – With Doctor Archana who came to check Jayalalithaa’s blood pressure
Jaya: How much ma?
Doctor: 140/80. It is High
Jaya: 140 by?
Doctor: 80
Jaya: It is okay for me... Normal
When asked about the audio, Raja Senthoor Pandian, told THE WEEK: “Jayalalithaa was admitted at Apollo hospitals on September 22. She had breathing trouble then itself. But she was normal the next day. The audio was recorded on September 27, when she herself heard of her blood sugar levels. Doctor Narasimhan was treating Amma for her breathing troubles. So Narasimhan had informed Jayalalithaa to get her audio recorded when she again gets breathing trouble. When she had breathing trouble again, the audio was recorded. At this time Shivakumar could not download the audio.” When asked about what she was talking with Shivakumar, Pandian clarified, that Shivakumar was trying to download the voice recorder app in his phone.
It may be recalled that it was on September 27, Jayalalithaa had reportedly chaired a meeting with her ministerial colleagues and others discussing the Cauvery issue. The audio has, however, created a fresh round of controversy on what actually happened during her 75-day treatment. Apart from the audio, the diet and health chart has also created a fresh round of discussion and debate. The diet chart mentions her weight as 106 Kgs, her daily diet, which consisted of 400 ml coffee, idli upma, dosai among others.
However, sources said that Shivakumar had submitted a total of 80-page booklet of whatever Jayalalithaa had written on her health and diet on August 2, 2016. The record has been submitted in full by Shivakumar to give a clear picture of the pre-history of Jayalalithaa’s illness.