Chennai: A member of the AIADMK party has approached the Madras high court to direct the Central government to appoint a committee of medical experts associated with CBI to inquire into the death of former chief minister late J. Jayalalithaa by giving power to them to seize records about treatment, drugs administered, therapy and life-saving equipment used by doctors to ascertain the exact cause of her death.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M. Sundar before whom the petition from S. Gnanasekaran, came up for hearing, directed the registry to tag the petition along with similar pending petitions on the same issue filed by another AIADMK party member P.A. Joseph and social activist Traffic Ramaswamy. Recalling the events from admission into the Apollo hospitals, to her death, besides the press releases relating to her health condition, Gnanasekaran in his petition submitted that he subsequently came to understand through media that Apollo hospital was used as political arena to decide the future course of the party and power trade in the basement by calling upon all the frontline leaders, MLAs and MPs to show their solidarity and the faith reposed on Sasikala Natarajan and their family members by getting signatures in several papers to be used for subsequent events.
The scene that went on within and outside Apollo hospital indicates that there was a huge tussle for power in politics, he said. The silence with regard to her treatment given was a mystery, which can be proved by forming a committee to go into the day-to-day events through documents, video footage both at Poes Garden and Apollo hospital with effect from September 22 to December 5, 2016.
Even now, it was not known whether the Chief Minister was admitted in a conscious or unconscious state or for mere fever, he added. He said a detailed autopsy has to be performed on the mortal remains of the late chief minister to crystallize the drugs in her system and submit a detail medical report along with documentary proofs for the conclusion arrived at by the expert committee that may be appointed by the central government. Also, further action may be initiated if the situation warrants, he said.
