Jayalalithaa Death Probe 90% Complete, Tamil Nadu Govt Lawyer Tells Madras HC

The Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry set up to probe into the circumstances that led to the death of AIADMK icon and former chief minister J Jayalalithaa has almost completed the investigation, a state government lawyer has told the Madras High Court.

The Jayalalithaa death probe was set up in the wake of allegations from AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam that VK Sasikala, and her family, had played a role in the death of the iconic politician. The Commission was set up in September 2017 under retired judge A Arumughaswamy.

Witnesses ranged from Sasikala’s brother Divaharan to nurses at the Apollo Hospitals unit in Chennai, where Jayalalithaa was treated, to the domestic staff at her ‘Veda Nilayam’ residence in Poes Garden Chennai. Health officials, government doctors, bureaucrats, and members from the political community, too, were part of those summoned for inquiry.

Panneerselvam, who originally made the case for such a probe, has not appeared before the probe panel yet. For a long time, he was not summoned, and when the Commission did send him a summon, he had been requesting for other dates, until the probe stayed in court.

After scores of witness inquiries and documentation, the Commission’s proceedings were stayed by an order of the Supreme Court in April 2019 in a case pursued by Apollo Hospitals, after the healthcare chain felt the probe was going beyond its mandate. The Commission has not been able to conduct investigations and record statements since the Supreme Court stay order.

Further hearing in Apollo Hospitals’ case is expected to take place in the coming weeks, the Government lawyer told the Madras High Court, which was hearing a petition filed by lawyer Thondam Subramani, who had sought an order to direct the Commission to file its final report within a specified timeframe, given it has dragged on for close to four years now.

The Arumughaswamy Commission had spotlighted the final days of Jayalalithaa, particularly her 74-day stay at the Apollo Hospitals, and what happened the evening of September 22, 2016 at Veda Nilayam, when she had fallen ill and had to be taken to the hospital. The Commission’s revelations during the time of recording statements had brought out the tussle between Sasikala and the Palaniswami-Panneerselvam combine to control the narrative about Jayalalithaa’s final days.

Now, with Sasikala at large after completing her 4-year jail term in the assets case that convicted Jayalalithaa, and the Current AIADMK leadership losing summarily to the DMK at the hustings, it remains to be seen as to how the Arumughaswamy Commission will continue to remain politically relevant, say observers.