'Never Interfered In Medical Treatment Of Jayalalithaa, Ready To Face Inquiry': Sasikala On TN Panel Report

The Justice Arumugasamy Commission of inquiry probing the death of J Jayalalithaa has tabled its inquiry report in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Tuesday.

Close aide, VK Sasikala (L) stands next to the mortal remains of former chief minister of Tamil Nadu state, Jayalalithaa Jayaram during her funeral in Chennai (Source: File photo/AFP)

New Delhi: The former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary V K Sasikala on Tuesday reacted to the Arumugasamy Inquiry Committee's report probing the death of former Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, saying, "I deny all the allegations leveled against me in the report. I never interfered in the medical treatment of J Jayalalithaa. I am ready to face an inquiry on this," as reported by news agency ANI.

Expelled AIADMK leader Sasikala reacts to Arumugasamy Inquiry Committee's report, says, "I deny all the allegations levelled against me in the report. I never interfered in the medical treatment of J Jayalalithaa. I am ready to face an inquiry on this."

(file photo) pic.twitter.com/LII0birhrD

— ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2022

The Justice Arumugasamy Commission of inquiry probing the death of Jayalalithaa has tabled its inquiry report in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Tuesday. The report found lapses and ordered an inquiry on Sasikala, former Health Minister Vijayabaskar and former Health Secretary Radhakrishnan, and doctor Sivakumar for Jayalalithaa's death.

Earlier, the panel submitted the report to Chief Minister MK Stalin. The state government formed the committee to investigate the late Chief Minister's hospitalization on September 22, 2016. 

The Arumugasamy Commission report submitted at the Assembly made several observations and said, "The Commission considering the above aspects is constrained to come to no other conclusion but to indict R.1 (Sasikala)."

"From all these aspects, the commission concludes that R.1-VK Sasikala, CW.17-KS Sivakumar, CW.136-Dr.J.Radhakrishnan, then Health Secretary and C.W.146-Dr. C. Vijayabaskar then Health Minister has to be found fault with and an investigation is to be ordered."

The report questioned why the late CM was not taken to aboard for treatment even though Dr. Richard Beale was prepared to take the then CM. It also questioned why the angio was not performed despite her heart condition. 

The report said, Senior Cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals YVC Reddy and Dr. Babu Abraham apart from Sivakumar, the hospital's own doctor, invited doctors from Bombay, USA and UK who suggested angio/surgery. However, the report said, "They (hospital) successfully threw it to the wind on the pretext of postponing it to achieve their aim under some pressure. Hence, the investigation is to be ordered." 

The report also revealed that multiple people who were questioned during the probe revealed that Jayalalithaa died on December 4 as against the declared date of December 5, 2016.