CHENNAI: Rejecting the one-member judicial commission appointed to probe J Jayalalithaa’s death by Tamil Nadu Government, Opposition Leader M K Stalin on Monday demanded a CBI probe into the matter and wanted British expert Richard Beale and AIIMS doctors to be brought under the ambit of the investigation.
In a hard-hitting statement on Monday night, Stalin said DMK was consistent in its demand for a CBI probe into the circumstances that led to Jayalalithaa’s death from day one and termed the judicial commission as a “ploy” by Edappadi K Palaniswami to ensure that O Panneerselvam merges his factions with his camp.
He said the inquiry was a “pure political decision” as Panneerselvam, who remained in office for two months after Jayalalithaa’s death, and Palaniswami maintained “stoic silence” in the initial days and months.
“Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospitals on September 22 last year and the entire state government was run from there. British expert Richard Beale and AIIMS doctors also joined the team that treated Jayalalithaa and there were reports that the then Chief Minister showed the thumbs-up while Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao visited her in her ward,” Stalin said.
The DMK working president also referred to statements by Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan denying any “wrongdoing” during the treatment and statements by AIADMK leaders on Jayalalithaa’s recovery.
“The horse trading government and those leading it now helped people who were with Jayalalithaa during her hospital stay and the inquiry instituted by them will not yield any results,” Stalin said.
Maintaining that statements by ministers like Srinivasan have given credence to speculation that Jayalalithaa’s death is shrouded in mystery, Stalin said the probe should also go into every incident that took place during her hospitalisation.
“Richard Beale came from London to treat Jayalalithaa and even AIIMS doctors were part of the team. Since the issue is widespread involving other states and even the nation, CBI is the only competent and apt agency to go into such a sensitive case. We demand a CBI probe so that people get to know the truth,” Stalin said.
