CHENNAI: The Arumughaswamy Commission which inquired into the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has indicted her close aide for more than three decades, VK Sasikala and three others - Dr KS Sivakumar, the then Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan and former Health Minister C Vijayabaskar.
The Commission said: "Considering various aspects, the Commission is constrained to come to no other conclusion, but to indict VK Sasikala. She and KS Sivakumar, Dr C Vijayabaskar, J Radhakrishnan have to be found at fault and an investigation should be ordered against them."
The Commission said Dr YVC Reddy and Dr Babu Abraham treated the late Chief Minister all along and though they invited doctors from Mumbai, UK and USA and got an opinion from them, apart from Apollo Hospital's own doctor, suggesting doing angio/surgery, they successfully threw it to the wind on the pretext of postponing it, to achieve their aim under some pressure. "Hence, the investigation is to be ordered," the Commission said.
The Commission has also found criminality against the then Chief Secretary Rama Mohana Rao and said that investigation has to be ordered against him.
Criticising Apollo Hospitals chairman Dr Pratap C Reddy, the commission said Reddy, knowing that it was not true, made a false statement during a press briefing that the late Chief Minister could be discharged at any time.
"Dr Reddy issued briefings in his room often without disclosing the real facts regarding the heart ailments and the treatment... It is for the government to decide and investigate," the panel said. However, it pointed out: "No contra evidence or documents put forth before the commission other than stating that the Apollo Hospitals gave the best treatment to Jayalalithaa."
The Commission also criticised the official declaration of Jayalalithaa's death. Quoting what had happened after Jayalalithaa suffered a cardiac arrest on December 4, 2016, the Commission said, "From 3.50 p.m on December 4 CPR and sternotomy exercises were futile and these have been used as a ploy to explain away the delay in the official declaration of her death."
The Commission stated "O Panneerselvam was all along an insider and formally a part of the inner circle and whatever transpired was within his knowledge, even during the lifetime of the late Chief Minister. He succeeded to the office of the CM without any loss of time as though he was in a statement of readiness to fit in. He positioned himself as the successor of the late Chief Minister which is not a fortuitous happening."
Action against VK Sasikala and others after getting views of legal experts: TN Government
The state government, meanwhile, has decided that it will initiate appropriate action on the Arumughaswamy Commission of inquiry report's recommendations against certain individuals -- VK Sasikala, former Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, former Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan and Dr KS Sivakumar -- after obtaining the considered opinion of the legal experts.
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The G.O issued by Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu in this regard on October 17 said, "The report of the Commission of Inquiry was discussed in the Cabinet meeting held on August 29. Considering that the Commission had disagreed with certain aspects of the AIIMS Doctors Committee's Report, it was decided to initiate appropriate action on the Commission of Inquiry report's recommendations against certain individuals, after obtaining the considered opinion of the legal experts."
The G.O referred to the observation of the Commission that it has considered the report given by the AIIMS Medical Board carefully and thoroughly and noticed that they have only copied the treatment summary and given opinion. For the above reason, the Commission could not accept the report of the Medical Board.
The first part of the terms of reference made by the government relates to the circumstances and the situations leading to the hospitalization of the late Chief Minister on September 22, 2016. "The Commission has not found anything abnormal or unnatural in the conduct of the people including VK Sasikala in the house in taking adequate care to shift the late CM to the Apollo hospital promptly without delay," the G.O added.
The Commission has also recommended an investigation against YVC Reddy and Dr Babu Abraham and Rama Mohana Rao, then Chief Secretary. The Commission said the government can decide and investigate the matter against Dr Pratap C Reddy, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals.