The Commission of Inquiry probing the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is planning to submit its report before October 24.
A source said that Justice (Retd.) A. Arumughaswamy had no intention of seeking a third extension for the Commission, and had begun laying the groundwork to draft his report.
The Commission’s tenure ends on October 24. Its formation was announced on September 24, 2017, and it began functioning from October 27. Its term was extended in December, and then in June.
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The source said that Justice Arumughaswamy has drawn up a blueprint for the final days of the Commission and has not ruled out the possibility of examining V.K. Sasikala at the central prison in Bengaluru. “In the plan drawn up by the judge, there is a 10-day gap. We have the opportunity to examine Ms. Sasikala during that time,” said the source.
The Commission also intends to examine Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambi Durai, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar and Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan.
Officials of the Commission are also examining whether Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, both of whom visited the hospital during Jayalalithaa’s treatment there, can be summoned.
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Mr. Rao was the then Governor of Tamil Nadu and Mr. Naidu, a Union Minister. The source argued that the Commission was open to the possibility of examining Mr. Naidu.
“The Constitution provides immunity to matters pertaining to his [current] position. However, he was a Minister at that time and had stayed in Chennai for 12 days to monitor Jayalalithaa's health,” said the source.
The Commission is also attempting to use the video-conferencing facilities at the National Green Tribunal, which also works from out of the same Kalas Mahal building, to examine UK-based intensivist Richard Beale. Apart from Dr. Beale, the Commission intends to examine at least four doctors: a fourth member of the AIIMS team who sought a deferment, a US-based consultant, and two Singapore-based individuals.
Kodanad team
The Commission also intends to examine a team from the Kodanad estate owned by Jayalalithaa and “4-5 others,” according to the source. However, another individual associated with the Commission's functioning expressed doubts about the probe being completed in just over a month.
“There are many witnesses that need to be examined. They then need to be crossed. In some cases, witnesses have been summoned again after being cross-examined,” said the individual.
Sasikala’s lawyer N. Raja Senthoor Pandian said the Commission should examine Deputy CM Panneerselvam. “Multiple witnesses have deposed about OPS’ activities during CM Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation. He is the reason for constituting the Commission and should have been examined,” he said.
Mr. Pandian said that if the Commission does not examine Mr. Panneerselvam, his team would. “We will then submit a list of witnesses that we need to examine. OPS will be first on that list; it will be followed by Dr. Vijayabaskar and Dr. Radhakrishnan,” he said.