Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president M.K. Stalin on Sunday reiterated his demand for a CBI inquiry into the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
Speaking at a public meeting here, he said that Jayalalithaa’s death was highly suspicious. “While she was undergoing treatment at the Apollo Hospitals, Ministers were claiming that she was eating idlis, having coffee and ice cream. But now, they are saying those claims were false,” he said, and pointed out that DMK leader M. Karunanidhi had last year called for pictures of the former Chief Minister being treated at the hospital to be released. He contended that there was no transparency in the treatment administered to Jayalalithaa, as opposed to when former Chief Ministers C.N. Annadurai and M.G. Ramachandran were ailing, when the State Health Ministers used to issue regular bulletins, updating the public about their health condition.
Pointing out that after Jayalalithaa’s death, O. Panneerselvam had organised a press meet involving Dr. Richard Beale from the U.K., who was involved in Jayalalithaa’s treatment, Mr. Stalin said, “He [Mr. Beale] claimed that she was treated correctly, and this press meet was organised by Mr. Panneerselvam. A CBI inquiry should be initiated and it must question the role of O. Panneerselvam, who was Chief Minister at the time.”
He added that the one-man panel formed to probe Jayalalithaa’s death will not be able to question the doctor, the Governor and Central Ministers, and hence, a CBI inquiry was necessary.
