Rival AIADMK camp petitions Prez for probe into Jaya's death

New Delhi: A delegation of AIADMK MPs owing allegiance to rebel leader O Panneerselvam today called on President Pranab Mukherjee and sought a probe into the circumstances surrounding the death of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

The 12-MPs delegation, led by Rajya Sabha member V Maithreyan, submitted a memorandum in this regard to the President at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan here.

In their memorandum, they sought steps for instituting a probe which can be a judicial inquiry or a CBI probe. It can be decided by the President, Maithreyan told reporters here after meeting Mukherjee.

“Ever since Jayalalithaa passed away in December, there has been doubts about it among party cadres and general public. We have requested the President to look into the issue and order a central government probe into her death to reveal the truth,” he said.

He questioned the need to admit the former chief minister in hospital on September 22nd just for “fever and dehydration,” when her Poes Garden residence itself had a “mini hospital and ICU set-up”.

Maithreyan, who was among the first to support Panneerselvam after he revolted against the party leadership earlier this month, said in the 75-day long medical treatment given to Jayalalithaa “there are many suspicions and goof-ups.”

“I consider removal of such suspicions will be a tribute to Amma (Jayalalithaa),” he said. Maithreyan, who is an Oncologist, said during Jayalalithaa’s long medication at Apollo none was allowed to visit her.

“After taking necessary precautions one or two members can be allowed. Neither Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley nor OPS was allowed to see Amma,” he said.

He also said they wanted to know who authorised the hospital’s decision to go in for “cessation of treatment,” to allow natural cessation of life after Jayalalithaa suffered a cardiac arrest on December 5.

Under normal circumstances a permission was obtained from blood relatives to stop medical treatment, he said. Maitreyan also mocked the State government for not being “qualified” to probe Jaya’s death.

“Chief Minister Edappadi is not talking about the issue and is ignorant,” Maitreyan alleged. He also promised to take up the issue in the upcoming session of Parliament.

To a question on why the issue was not raised soon after Jaya’s death, Maitreyan said, “If we had raised it on the day of funeral, TN would have faced a lot of violence.”

While being the care-taker Chief Minister, Panneerselvam had said a probe would be ordered into the circumstances leading to the death of Jayalalithaa.