Jayalalithaa death probe panel submits 590-page report to Stalin

New Delhi, Aug 27: The Justice Arumughaswamy Commission, constituted to probe the circumstances surrounding late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's death, submitted its report to the state government on Saturday.

Justice Arumughaswamy, who later spoke to reporters, said the 500-odd pages report in English and around 600 pages in Tamil was prepared after hearing about 150 witnesses. "158 witnesses & petitioners were examined. Some people said that probe was dragged by me. It's up to the govt to take a decision on whether the probe report is to be released or not. Apollo Hospital & Sasikala have cooperated well in investigation", Arumughaswamy said, as quoted by ANI.

''Only the government can decide on publishing the report,'' he said, adding, all concerned aspects have been mentioned in the report and said it was a ''satisfying'' outing for him. Many felt the commission ''worked like a court,'' he added.

Among the witnesses who have deposed before the commission includes AIADMK top leader O Panneerselvam, Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa and nephew Deepak, doctors, top officials and AIADMK's C Vijayabaskar (former health minister), M Thambi Durai, C Ponnaiyan and Manoj Pandian.

Deepa and Deepak had raised doubts over circumstances surrounding their aunt's death. V K Sasikala, confidante of the late Chief Minister had filed an affidavit through her counsel in 2018.

The Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry, constituted by the previous AIADMK government, commenced it's hearing on November 22, 2017. Justice Arumughaswamy is a retired judge of the Madras High Court.

Sasikala's affidavit was related to, among other points, the circumstances leading to Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation. The late CM was admitted in Apollo Hospitals for 75 days before her death on December 5, 2016.

During the recent proceedings, doctors from the Apollo Hospitals briefed through video-conferencing a medical board of AIIMS-Delhi specialists on the treatment provided to Jayalalithaa.

The AIIMS panel took part in the proceedings virtually to help the Commission handle medical aspects as per the Supreme Court's direction.