Jayalalithaa death probe: Inquiry concludes after 4 years, report expected soon

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The commission probing the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and popular South leader J Jayalalithaa has finally wrapped up the inquiry and is set to submit the report to the state government, reported PTI

Notably, it took the commission more than four years in preparing the report on the circumstances of Jayalalithaa’s death

According to sources, the Commission is set to commence preparation of its report for submission to the state government as its tenure, which was extended several times, is set to end on June 24.

On Tuesday, former AIADMK spokesperson V Pugazhenthi appeared before the panel and made his submissions reportedly he had requested that former Chief Minister K Palaniswami should be inquired.

However, commission sources did not confirm it. Pugazhenthi was expelled from the AIADMK last year.

Who all were involved in the inquiry

In total, 159 witnesses have deposed before the commission, which includes AIADMK top leader O Panneerselvam, Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa and nephew Deepak, doctors, top officials and AIADMK's C Vijayabaskar, M Thambi Durai, C Ponnaiyan and Manoj Pandian.

Deepa and Deepak had raised doubts over the circumstances surrounding their aunt's death. V K Sasikala, a confidante of the late Chief Minister had filed an affidavit through her counsel in 2018.

Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry

The Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry, constituted by the previous AIADMK government, commenced its hearing on November 22, 2017. Justice Arumughaswamy is a retired judge of the Madras High Court.

Sasikala's affidavit was related to, among other points, the circumstances leading to Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation (admitted in Apollo Hospitals) in 2016.

The purpose of the committee was "to inquire into the circumstances and situation leading to the hospitalisation of the late Chief Minister on September 22, 2016, and subsequent treatment provided till her unfortunate demise on December 5, 2016.

The suspicion was raised by Jayalalithaa's nieces about the circumstances of the former CM’s death and alleged a political conspiracy behind her death.

The Apollo hospital doctor, however, who attended Jayalalithaa said she was extremely ill and died of a cardiac arrest.