New twist in Jayalalithaa's death case: Madras HC tells Tamil Nadu to file reply on petition seeking probe

Chennai: In a major twist to the suspicions surrounding the death of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to file a response on a petition seeking probe on the matter. 

The first bench of the Madras High Court was hearing a petition filed by an AIADMK member seeking a judicial probe into the mysterious death of Amma, as she was fondly called by her supporters. 

The development comes ten days later after the Madras High Court expressed doubts over her death. 

Chennai's Apollo Hospital said that it will hand over the medical records only to Jayalalithaa's relatives which was questioned by the bench. "What is the locus standi of petitioners when none of Jayalalithaa's blood relatives has approached the court?" the bench said. 

Joseph, the petitioner, stated before the bench that although he was not a blood relative of the former CM, he was an AIADMK member and a Tamil Nadu and hence, he along with every citizen of the state deserve to know what had happened to the "Amma". 

With the Tamil Nadu government seeking time to file its reply on the matter, the court deferred the case for hearing on February 23. 

On December 29, the vacation bench comprising of Justice Vaidyanathan Justice Parthiban had cast their doubt on over the death of the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Jayalalithaa breathed her last at Chennai’s Apollo Hospitals on December 5 after being hospitalised for over three months.

"We have personal suspicions about Jayalalithaa’s death," the bench had said then. 

Referring to news reports during Jayalalithaa’s 75-day hospitalisation, the judge asked, "There were reports of her eating, talking, attending meetings and signing documents. Then how did she die all of a sudden? At least now after her death, the truth should be revealed."

The bench also went on to say that the court could order the exhumation and post-mortem of Jayalalithaa’s body.  "Even after death, you have not given medical records, why can’t we order the exhumation of the body?" the High Court asked the Tamil Nadu government. 

The bench went on to issue notices to the Prime Minister, state and central governments.  

Jayalalithaa was declared dead on December 5 after suffering a massive cardiac arrest a day earlier. She had been hospitalised at Apollo Hospital on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration. 

Medical bulletins issued by the Apollo Hospital initially stated that the Chief Minister was stable and would be released soon.