Jayalalithaa death commission recommends inquiry against Sasikala, TN to consult legal experts

The Tamil Nadu Cabinet on Monday decided to seek a legal opinion on the recommendation made by Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission that probed the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa to initiate an inquiry against V K Sasikala, the Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, and then Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao.

The cabinet chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin also decided to place before the Tamil Nadu Assembly along with details of action taken on reports submitted by the Arumughaswamy Commission and Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission that went into the police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters in Thoothukudi in 2018.

An official release from the government said the Arumughaswamy Commission tasked with probing the circumstances that led to the hospitalization and subsequent death of Jayalalithaa has recommended “government action” against Sasikala, Vijayabhaskar, Rao, and Dr Sivakumar, the late CM’s personal physician.

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“The Cabinet decided to consult legal experts on the recommendation made by the Commission for initiating government action against (the aforesaid) and submit the report before the Assembly along with details of action taken (on the recommendations made by the Commission),” the statement said.

There was no clarity on what basis the Commission recommended action against Sasikala, long-time aide of Jayalalithaa, and others – with this, the late CM’s death, one of the most-politicised events in Tamil Nadu in the recent past, has come into focus yet again.

The statement also said the Cabinet discussed the report submitted by Jagadeesan on the police firing that killed 13 civilians. The Commission has recommended action against 17 police officers, the then district collector, and three others in connection with the police firing on May 22, 2018.

“The recommendation of the Commission has been sent to the department concerned and is under consideration. The report will be tabled in the Assembly along with details of action taken (on the recommendations,” the official statement added.

Jayalalithaa, who was wheeled into the Apollo Hospitals here on September 22, 2016, passed away on December 5 following a cardiac arrest the previous day. The former CM’s death triggered a massive controversy with her own party colleagues – notably Panneerselvam – casting doubts on the treatment given to her, hinting at foul play, and pointing to the role of V K Sasikala.

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The constitution of the Commission was more political than to dispel any doubts as this was the key demand of Panneerselvam to merge his faction led by Edappadi K Palaniswami. After dodging the commission for years, Panneerselvam finally appeared before justice Arumughaswamy in March this year and said he had no suspicion “personally” over the death of the AIADMK supremo and that he was only “reflecting” public sentiments.

In his deposition, Panneerselvam also said neither V K Sasikala nor her family members plotted against the former multi-term Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. While Panneerselvam, Vijayabaskar, and Radhakrishnan deposed before the commission, Sasikala chose to submit her response.

In her voluminous response, Sasikala narrated her side of the story and how Jayalalithaa’s conviction by a Bengaluru court in 2014 triggered a host of health issues for the former chief minister.