Chennai: Dr P. Balaji, head of the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday appeared before the Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission probing former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation and death for the third time.
Balaji’s testimony is considered crucial in the case since he obtained the fingerprints of the late chief minister when she was at Apollo Hospitals in the B-Forms submitted by AIADMK candidates in the by-elections to Thanjavur, Aravakurichi and Thiruparankundram in October 2016.
Dr Balaji obtained Jayalalithaa’s fingerprints at her hospital bed since she could not affix her signature due to inflammation of right hand. Sources said the questioning of Balaji revolved around the fingerprint issue and Balaji might be asked to appear once again.
The questioning comes a day after Jaya TV CEO Vivek Jayaraman, who lived in the Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa for long, appeared before the Commission and testified. He will appear again before the Commission on February 28.
A host of people, including Jayalalithaa’s former advisor Sheela Balakrishnan, former chief secretary Rama Mohana Rao, Sasikala’s niece Krishna Priya and Jayalalithaa’s former personal assistant Poonkundran, have appeared before the Commission and shared information on the former chief minister’s hospitalisation and death.
The commission has been mandated to inquire into the “circumstances and situation leading to the hospitalisation of the late Hon’ble Chief Minister on September 22, 2016 and subsequent treatment provided till her unfortunate demise on December 5, 2016.”
