Jaya’s demise: Probe panel summons Sasikala, Apollo chief to depose

The one-man Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice (Retd.) Arumuga Swamy, set up by the Govt. of Tamil Nadu in September this year to probe the mysterious demise of former Tamil Nadu chief-minister J. Jayalalithaa, has summoned Sasikala, who is cooling her heels at the Parappana Agrahara Complex in Bangalore, and Dr. Pratap Reddy, the chief of Apollo Hospitals, Chennai where ‘Puratchithalaivi’ spent 75 mystery-filled days, for interrogation.

Jayalalithaa, referred to fondly as ‘Amma’ by cadres and people alike, was declared ‘dead’ by Apollo Hospitals late on the night of 05th December last year.  Dr. Pratap Reddy’s deputy and vice-chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Dr. Preetha Reddy has also been summoned to depose before the COI to explain the mode of treatment given to the former chief-minister.

Sasikala, who didn’t allow anybody to come anywhere close to the former chief-minister, has been summoned to come out of her prison cell in Parappana Agrahara to depose before the COI.  Dr. Balaji, Deepa, Madhavan and Deepak and DMK’s Saravanan had already been interrogated by the COI.

The trio (the doctors and Sasikala) has been given 15 days’ time to submit their replies.  As the term of the COI is expiring next Tuesday (26th September), Justice Swamy had earlier requested the State Govt. to extend its tenure.  Responding positively to the request, the State has since extended the COI’s term by a further six months i.e. up to 26th June, 2018.