Doctor who attested Jayalalithaa's thumb impression on poll papers appears in Madras HC

Chennai, Oct 27: The doctor, who had attested the left-thumb impression of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on documents relating to a bypoll last year, appeared before the Madras High Court.

Dr Balaji appeared before the court and gave evidence for more than two hours. After recording his statement, Justice P Velmurugan posted the matter to November 3 for further hearing and asked the doctor to appear before it again on that date. The judge also directed the media not to report in detail on today's court proceedings.

On October 13, the Election Commission (EC) had submitted in the court that it had accepted the left-thumb impression of late Jayalalithaa, affixed on documents relating to a bypoll last year, based on a letter from AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan.

The letter had stated that Jayalalithaa was not in a position to sign as she was unwell and hence, her left-thumb impression attested by the doctor could be taken on file, K F Wilfred, Principal Secretary of the EC, said. The court had summoned the official for giving evidence on an election plea filed by P Saravanan, the DMK candidate for the November, 2016 Thirupparankundram Assembly bypoll, challenging the election of AIADMK candidate A K Bose.

Posting the matter to October 27, the judge had directed Dr Balaji, who attested the thumb impression of Jayalalithaa, to be present in court on that day with all the records. During the pendency of the case, Saravanan had filed an additional affidavit, questioning the validity of the election documents. He had contended that the thumb impression of Jayalalithaa was obtained without her consent and knowledge while she was unconscious, with the "connivance" of the doctors who attended to the former chief minister and others.

He had also questioned the EC's decision to accept the left-thumb impression of Jayalalithaa affixed on the documents filed in support of Bose's nomination papers. He had further submitted that following the attestation, the AIADMK candidate (Bose) was allowed to contest on the 'two leaves' symbol under the "defective form A and form B" of the documents, which had materially "affected the outcome of the election".

PTI