Justice Arumughaswamy Commission Submits Probe Reports on J Jayalalithaa’s Death

"Only the government can decide on publishing the report," Justice Arumughaswamy said.

J Jayalalithaa.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The Justice Arumughaswamy Commission, constituted to probe the circumstances surrounding late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's death, submitted its report to the state government on Saturday, 27 August.

Justice Arumughaswamy, a retired judge of the Madras High Court, told reporters that the commission's 590-page report in English and the 600-page Tamil version were prepared after hearing from 150 witnesses.

"Only the government can decide on publishing the report," he said, adding that all concerned aspects have been mentioned in the report and that it was a "satisfying" outcome for him.

Many felt the commission "worked like a court," he added.

Deposed Witnesses

The witnesses who deposed before the commission includes AIADMK top leader O Panneerselvam, Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa and nephew Deepak, doctors, and top officials as well as AIADMK's C Vijayabaskar (former health minister), M Thambi Durai, C Ponnaiyan, and Manoj Pandian.

Deepa and Deepak had raised doubts over circumstances surrounding the late Tamil Nadu CM's death. VK Sasikala, a confidante of the late chief minister, had filed an affidavit through her counsel in 2018.

The Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry, constituted by the previous AIADMK government, had commenced it's hearing on 22 November 2017.

Sasikala's affidavit was related to, among other points, the circumstances leading to Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation. The late CM was admitted in Apollo Hospitals for 75 days before her death on 5 December 2016.

During the recent proceedings, doctors from Apollo Hospitals briefed a medical board of AIIMS-Delhi specialists through video-conferencing on the treatment provided to Jayalalithaa.

The AIIMS panel took part in the proceedings virtually to help the commission handle the medical aspects of the enquiry, as per the Supreme Court's direction.

Meanwhile, Justice Arumughaswamy thanked the apex court for "having confidence in the Commission" and allowing him to proceed.

He added that though "some people said that probe was dragged by me...There was no delay on my part, I have done my work within 13 months," news agency ANI reported.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)