'Why wasn't Jayalalithaa taken abroad, despite...': SHOCKING FINDINGS of Arumugasamy panel against VK Sasikala, Dr Reddy, others

The key findings of the report filed by a panel probing former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's death has sent shockwaves across the Dravidian state. The probe report - compiled by former Madras High Court Judge A Arumugasamy - has found Jayalalithaa's top aide VK Sasikala guilty of misconduct. The panel report also names former health minister C Vijayabaskar, then health secretary J Radhakrishnan and KS Sivakumar, a relative of Sasikala. The panel also advised a probe against the then chief secretary Rama Mohana Rao and others, which includes doctors.

Here are the key questions raised by A Arumugasamy panel against Sasikala and others:

1. 'Why no foreign treatment?': The report questions as to why the former Chief Minister was not taken abroad for treatment even after Dr Richard Beale was prepared to take Jayalalithaa abroad.

2. Why no angioplasty? The report also said that even after eminent doctors from the UK and the US, who had reached Apollo hospital on the invitation from the state government had suggested angioplasty, it was not conducted.

3. 'Threw it through the wind, to achieve their aim': The report said, "They (hospital) successfully threw it to the wind on the pretext of postponing it to achieve their aim under some pressure. Hence, investigation is to be ordered."

4. Delay in declaration J Jayalalitha's death: The Commission heavily criticised the official declaration of former chief minister's death. 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."
 
5. Dr Reddy lied about Jayalalithaa's discharge from the Hospital: The comission has slammed Apollo Hospital Chairman Dr Pratap C Reddy for lying about Jayalalithaa's health.  "Though Dr Reddy is a person bound and authorised to state true facts, with his full knowledge that it was not true, issued a press meeting with a false statement that the late Chief Minister can be discharged at any time. Dr Reddy has issued briefings in his room often without disclosing the real fact regarding the heart ailments and the treatment to be given to the late Chief Minister. It is for the government to decide and investigate the matter," the Commission added.

6. 'O Panneerselvam knew everything': 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."

Going further, the Commission in its report said - "The Commission considering the above aspects is to come to no other conclusion but to indict R1 (VK Sasikala)".

The Commission further said, "From all these aspects, the commission concludes that R.1- VK Sasikala, CW. 17- KS Sivakumar, CW1366- Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, then health secretary and CW146-A Dr. C. Vijyabhaskar, the then health minister has to be found fault with and an investigation is to be ordered."