Jayalalithaa's death probe deepens, Sasikala, Apollo Hospital chairman summoned

The inquiry commission had recently filed a police complaint against an aide of TTV Dhinakaran for releasing a purported video of the late Chief Minister.

CHENNAI: An inquiry commission, set up by the Tamil Nadu government to probe the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, on Friday issued a notice to VK Sasikala and Apollo Hospital chairman Pratap Reddy. 

Former Madras High Court judge A. Arumughaswamy heads the Commission constituted by the state government to probe the circumstances leading to the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

On December 20, the one man Commission filed a police complaint against an aide of TTV Dhinakaran who released a purported video of the late Chief Minister, just a day ahead of the RK Nagar bypoll. 

According to a police official, a complaint has been received from the Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission "seeking action against Vetrivel" even as the Commission has started the inquiry as per its terms of reference.

The release of the video, purportedly showing Jayalalithaa in a hospital, released by P Vetrivel, a loyalist of sidelined AIADMK leader Dhinakaran, had set off a political controversy.

Interestingly, there was no immediate response from Apollo Hospital to a query on the veracity of the video.

MK, which raised the issue of doubts over Jayalalithaa's death during the campaign, and several others alleged that the video had been released with an eye on the bypoll.

The about 20-second footage, showing a frail-looking AIADMK supremo in a nightdress and sipping what appeared to be a health drink with a straw, was released by Vetrivel, disqualified AIADMK MLA and election agent of Dhinakaran, contesting the bypoll as an independent.

AIADMK hit out at Sasikala's family, saying the video release was a "conspiracy" and a "demeaning" act with an eye on the bypoll.

Jayalalithaa, a former AIADMK leader, was admitted to Apollo Hospital on September 22, 2016. She was admitted after complaining of infection, acute dehydration and the mystery over her death has led to allegations, insinuations of foul play.

Jayalalithaa was in the hospital for three months last year. She died on December 5 that year after 75 days in the hospital.

Many had suggested that she was dead when she was brought to the hospital and she had been kept in there for political motives. Meanwhile, the Apollo hospital had said that Jayalalithaa was unconscious when she was brought on September 22.

The release of the video, just ahead of the bypoll, can be viewed as an attempt by the Dinakaran camp to clear the air over Jayalalithaa's death, which is already being investigated by a judicial commission.