Representatives of Apollo Hospitals on Friday appeared before the Justice A. Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry, which is looking into the death of Jayalalithaa, and submitted documents relating to her treatment.
“Apollo Hospitals filed affidavits and presented 30 volumes of original medical records with copies of documents pertaining to the medical treatment of the late CM. The records furnished included details right from the time of her admission on September 22, 2016, to the date of her demise on December 5, 2016," said the hospital in a statement.
The hospital produced originals as well as photocopies of documents. Commission officials compared them and after retaining the copies, obtained an undertaking from the hospital that it would provide the originals whenever called upon. “The hospital had sought two weeks' time to file the entire set of medical records and accordingly on January 3, the Commission posted the matter to January 12 to produce the documents,” said the statement.
In a separate statement, the chief executive officer of Apollo Hospitals denied receiving any warning or letter from the Commission, as reported in The Hindu on January 12 (Panel warns Apollo Hospitals).
In the release, CEO P. Shivakumar said the hospital had received the Commission’s summons on December 22, 2017.
The time for filing documents, therefore, was to expire on January 1, 2018. The hospital moved a petition on December 28, 2017, seeking two weeks to file the affidavit and documentary evidence.
Sought more time
When the petition came up for hearing on January 3, 2018, the hospital sought more time, “considering the volume of the documents and their sensitive nature, which required to be photocopied and produced.”
The Commission posted the matter to January 12 and gave the hospital time until then to submit documents. “The hospital respects the directions of the Hon’ble Commission, has been consistently abiding by them and intends to do so on 12.01.2018 too,” the statement added.
Cardiologist Dr. Swaminathan, who was at Apollo Hospital, the day Jayalalithaa suffered cardiac arrest, deposed before the Commission on Friday. “I was at Apollo Hospital on December 4 but did not meet the then Chief Minister...I did not provide treatment; Apollo Hospital, was doing that. I was called in to provide expert opinion, if needed," he said.
On Friday, V.K. Sasikala's lawyer N. Raja Senthoor Pandian appeared before the Commission to argue on an application he had filed on behalf of his client on December 5. Sasikala wanted the Commission to provide her with the details and evidence that witnesses had placed against her. She also wanted to be allowed to cross-examine witnesses. The Commission will pass orders on the petition on January 22.
