The Justice (retired) Arumughaswamy Commission has sought yet another extension to complete its inquiry into the hospitalisation and death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
On Friday evening, Commission officials sent the request for extension of tenure by another four months to the State government. Justice Arumughaswamy has sought time till June 24 to finalise and submit his report.
This is the fourth extension sought by the Commission.
Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, who is expected to depose on February 19, is likely to be the Commission’s last witness.
London-based intensivist Richard Beale and Thuglak editor S. Gurumurthy are among those whose depositions are yet to be recorded by the Commission. When asked about this, V.K. Sasikala’s lawyer Raja Senthoor Pandian said the two will have to depose since summons had already been issued to Dr. Beale to appear via videolink while the Commission had passed an order saying that it could not exempt Mr. Gurumurthy from appearing.
Mr. Pandian said he had been intimated about Mr. Panneerselvam’s appearance on Tuesday. “Hopefully, he will be present this time,” he said.
Mr. Pandian said that he had orally urged the judge to summon DMK president M.K. Stalin and Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi as they had raised certain issues about the Kodanad murders.
“Their clarifications are necessary on certain issues, and it is important for them to depose,” he added.
