Apollo says it doesn't have Jayalalithaa's biological samples

Chennai, Apr 26: The Apollo Hospitals today informed the Madras High Court that it does not have the biological samples of J Jayalalithaa collected during her treatment in 2016.

In an affidavit filed before Justice S Vaidyanathan, hearing a petition by a woman who claimed herself to be the biological daughter of Jayalalithaa, the hospital said all the collected samples had been used up completely during her treatment period.

It said Jayalalithaa's condition was challenging to treat due to multiple co-morbidities and in view of this all biological samples collected from her were used to run a battery of tests to rule out and/or confirm various medical conditions.

"I respectfully state that all biological samples collected from the late Chief Minister were used up completely during her treatment period...no biological samples belonging to the late Chief Minister are available with hospital as on date," the affidavit by a hospital official said. It was filed in response to a directive by the judge yesterday.

Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital on September 22, 2016 following complaints of fever and dehydration, but developed complications later. She died on December 5, 2016. On February 23, the judge had issued notice to Apollo Hospitals on a sub-application by the petitioner, who sought a direction for a DNA test to establish her parentage.

The woman had claimed she had been given in adoption to Jayalalithaa's sister and her husband decades ago and she came to know about it from her foster father in March last year before he died. With the hospital saying there was no biological samples of Jayalalithaa, her counsel submitted that DNA test can be done on Deepa, daughter of the late chief minister's brother J Jayaraman.

The judge posted the matter to June 4 for further hearing. Deepa and her brother Deepak have submitted that the petitioner has to approach only the Civil Court as she had not furnished any proof in support of her claim.

PTI