Jayalalithaa death mystery: We did our best in treating ex-TN CM, says Apollo Hospital

One-man inquiry commission has begun recording statements to clear the mystery surrounding the late AIADMK general secretary.

Chennai: The founder of the prestigious Apollo Hospital on Saturday reiterated that his doctors did their best while treating the former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa even as an inquiry commission began recording statements to clear the mystery surrounding the late AIADMK general secretary.

"An inquiry is on. Former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa was brought to hospital in a critical condition, showed significant progress later, but disease pattern was such and due to acute respiratory distress syndrome she passed away. Our team of doctors did the best they could," Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Apollo Hospitals Founder-Chairman, said while talking to the media here.

An inquiry is on. Frmr TN CM #Jayalalithaa was brought to hospital in a critical condition, showed significant progress later,but disease pattern ws such&due to acute respiratory distress syndrome she passed away.Our team of doctors did the best they could:Founder,Apollo hospital pic.twitter.com/XKDiv1p4d4 — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2017

Remarks from Reddy came two days after former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa's nephew appeared before the inquiry commission probing the iconic AIADMK leader's death last year.

Jayalalithaa, popularly known as 'Amma', was taken to Chennai's Apollo hospital on September 22 last year and treated in the hospital for 75 days before she breathed her last on December 5.

Following her death, allegations of foul play began to do the rounds and state forest minister Dindigul Sreenivasan even claimed that all cabinet ministers had lied to the people about hospitalisation and death of the former AIADMK general secretary.

Subsequently, a one-man commission was constituted and a probe under a retired Madras High Court judge, Justice Arumugasamy, was initiated on October 30.

The commission, whose constitution was challenged in the Supreme Court through a plea, which the apex court later rejected, will submit its findings early next year. 

Soon after Jayalalithaa's death a bitter struggle for power also began in Tamil Nadu's ruling party.