Plea to unearth truth behind Jayalalithaa's death

Chennai: A petition has been filed in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Egmore seeking direction to prosecute V.K. Sasikala, her relatives and top officials in connection with the death of former Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa in Apollo hospital on December 5 after 75-days of treatment.

The petitioner, K.S. Gita, claiming to be a family friend of Jayalalithaa, sought direction to prosecute them to unearth truth behind the death of Jayalalithaa. On behalf of Gita, advocate, R. Krishnamurthy filed the petition before CMM, J Chandran, who adjourned the matter to December 26.

On September 22, Jayalalithaa was rushed to Apollo hospital due to dehydration and fever by Sasikala and her husband M. Natarajan. No one knows how she was affected by dehydration. Thereafter, Jayalalithaa was kept in the hospital under suspicious circumstances for 75 days.

Almost all political leaders, including Governors of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, went to the hospital to meet her. None of the dignitaries were allowed to enter into the ward where she was undergoing ‘treatment’. Sasikala, her husband, her sister in law, I. Ilavarasi, Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, Chief Secretary, P. Rama Mohan Rao and other authorities entered into a conspiracy with Chairman, Apollo Hospital, Dr Prathap C. Reddy.

Suspecting that proper treatment and proper care was not given to Jayalalithaa, Gita said that she died under suspicious circumstances. No photographs or video or audio were shown to the public and the State Government had not published even a single medical report on her health condition as per government protocol. Suddenly the hospital declared Jayalalithaa’s death on December 5, 2016 at 11.30 pm.

Jayalalithaa possessed a lot of properties including liquid assets worth
many crores. She stated that Sasikala and her men/women had shown such exigency in burying her.  Under these circumstances, the petitioner stated that Sasikala and others, including top officials, knew everything about what happened before Jaya’s admission to the hospital and how she was treated at the hospital.

She hoped that deposition by them before the court will unearth the truth and the mystery behind her untimely death. “I strongly believe and also have enough suspicion that they must be behind my beloved friend’s death. They are solely responsible and answerable for the death of Jayalalithaa.The petitioner prayed that the court prosecute them under provisions of law and also to direct them to file an affidavit regarding their presence in the ward and facts and to conduct the trial on the basis of the private complaint. She sought the court to direct the State government to preserve the CCTV footages from ‘Vedha Nilayam’ and Apollo.