Arrest Dhivakaran and Dhinakaran: Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar

CHENNAI: Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar on Thursday demanded that Justice A. Arumughaswamy Commission order the arrest of V. K. Sasikala’s brother Dhivakaran and TTV Dhinakaran for spreading lies on J. Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation and subsequent death.

Speaking to reporters at the airport here, Jayakumar also accused the Sasikala family of “politicising” Jayalalithaa’s death for their personal gains.

“The Justice A. Arumughaswamy Commission should order the arrest of Dhivakaran and TTV Dhinakaran and inquire them. Only then, the truth will come out. They are politicising the issue for their personal gains,” Jayakumar said.

The minister was responding to queries on Dhivakaran’s claim that Jayalalithaa had died on December 4, 2016 but Apollo Hospitals, which treated her for 75 days, announced a day later. However, Dhivakaran himself retracted the statement within hours of actually making it. 

Apollo Hospitals also took objection to Dhivakaran’s statement saying it was unnecessary at this stage when a commission is going into the issue.
 Jayakumar said everyone should desist from making statements on Jayalalithaa’s death since a commission is inquiring into her demise and hospitalisation. The commission is expected to submit its report by mid-2018.
Responding to other queries, Jayakumar said 194 fishermen were declared missing due to Ockhi.

“The Government has formed a Committee to look into issues raised by fisherfolk. Of the total missing, 146 hail from Kanyakumari district alone. The government has enhanced the solatium to the next of kin of the deceased due to the cyclone to '20 lakh (from '10 lakh),” he told reporters.

Jayakumar said some fishermen could not be traced as they had gone more than 200 nautical miles into deep sea.