Dhivakaran does a U-turn on Jayalalithaa’s death

After saying Apollo Hospitals suppressed news of her death, he clarifies his statement was misconstrued

After stirring a hornet’s nest earlier on Wednesday evening by making a statement on Jayalalithaa’s death, Sasikala’s brother V. Dhivakaran claimed that his speech on the date of Jayalalithaa’s death had been “misconstrued”.

He had claimed earlier in the day in a meeting that Jayalalithaa had actually died on December 4, and the news was suppressed by the hospital. The official date of death was December 5, 2016. However, he followed this up with a flip flop within hours, and called for a presser to say he had been misunderstood.

“My statement was wrongly construed. Jayalalithaa suffered ‘clinical death’ on December 4, after which Apollo Hospitals specialists tried strenuously to revive her. But on December 5 she suffered ‘biological death.’ Doctors from the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Government General Hospital certified her death after which the Apollo Hospital formally announced her demise,’’ Mr. Dhivakaran told a hurriedly convened press meet.

He also clarified that he had not spoken to Apollo Hospitals Chairman Pratap C. Reddy, but had only picked up the details from a doctor present there and added that he never wanted to accuse anyone on the issue, least of all Mr. Reddy or Apollo Hospitals.

Earlier, he claimed that Jayalalithaa actually passed away on December 4 itself, a day ahead of the official announcement of her death.

He was speaking at a meeting organised to honour veteran AIADMK local leaders on the occasion of the party founder and late Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran’s 101st birth anniversary.

“I left here for Chennai on December 4 itself. Amma had in fact passed away at 5.15 p.m. on December 4 itself... she died of a massive heart attack. The doctors had her on life support systems at the Apollo Hospitals. I shouted at them why it was being done when she was already dead. To that, (Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman Pratap C. Reddy said we have several branches of our hospital in the State. First ensure their safety and security. Only then would we declare her death,’’ Mr. Dhivakaran declared in the open meeting.

He went on to add that many AIADMK leaders who were aspiring to be the next Chief Minister were present in the hospital that day.