Panel indicts Sasikala for ex-CM Jayalalithaa's death

Chennai, October 18

A panel that probed the circumstances leading to former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016 has indicted VK Sasikala, confidante of the late leader. The Tamil Nadu Government on Tuesday said it would initiate action after getting legal opinion.

The report of the panel, that was tabled by the state government in the Assembly, also indicted former Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, Dr KS Sivakumar (Sasikala’s relative) and the then Health Secretary, J Radhakrishnan, and recommended a probe against all four.

The Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry (CoI) said they “have to be found fault with and the investigation is to be ordered.” Sasikala was indicted considering several aspects, it said.

The government said considering the CoI’s disagreement on certain aspects vis-a-vis the AIIMS doctors’ committee report, “it was decided to initiate appropriate action” against “certain individuals” after obtaining the opinion of legal experts.

The panel recommended investigation against the then state Chief Secretary, Rama Mohana Rao, and two doctors, though it did not specify if it found “fault” with them or not. It said the government may, “decide and investigate” the matter against the chairman of a corporate hospital, where she was treated.

The CoI’s terms of reference (ToR) were to inquire into the circumstances leading to Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation on September 22, 2016, and the subsequent treatment provided in the hospital till her demise on December 5, 2016. She was treated at the Apollo Hospitals here.

In its finding, as regards the first part of the ToR on circumstances leading to the late AIADMK supremo’s hospitalisation, the commission said it, “has not found anything abnormal or unnatural” in the conduct of people, including Sasikala. Adequate care was taken to shift Jayalalithaa to the Apollo Hospitals promptly without a delay, it said.

On the other aspect of the ToR, which is on treatment, the Commission of Inquiry indicted four persons, including Sasikala and former minister Vijayabaskar.