Jayalalithaa death: Court rejects Apollo's petition seeking stay on probe panel's proceedings

Madras High Court on Monday rejected a petition filed by Apollo hospital seeking a stay on the Justice Arumughaswamy Commission's proceedings until a medical board is formed in connection with former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's death probe.

The next date of hearing in the matter is February 15.

Apollo Hospital had on February 9 approached the Madras High Court seeking an interim stay on the proceedings of the panel probing the death of Jayalalithaa.

The hospital claimed that the Justice Arumughaswamy Commission, which is probing the death of Jayalalithaa, is "prejudiced," adding that the hospital will be subjected to "grave hardship and irreparable harm" if the proceedings are not stayed.

"The real danger of prejudice and bias is apparent in the manner in which the probe panel is conducting the examination of witnesses," a petition filed by the hospital read.

The hospital further alleged that the Arumughaswamy Commission is "prejudging the facts and has concluded prematurely that the hospital is at wrong."

Apollo also accused the probe panel of acting beyond its jurisdiction and in lack of expertise to understand complex medical conditions.

Popularly known as 'Amma', Jayalalithaa was taken to Chennai's Apollo Hospital on September 22, 2016, and treated in the hospital for 75 days before she breathed her last on December 5.

Following her death, allegations of foul play began to do the rounds and state Forest Minister Dindigul Sreenivasan even claimed that all Cabinet ministers had lied to the people about her hospitalisation and death.

In September 2017, Justice A Arumughaswamy was appointed to head the probe into the death of the former Chief Minister.

Over a year later, the hospital demanded the constitution of a medical board comprising doctors and medical professionals to examine Jayalalithaa's medical records.

In an affidavit filed to the Arumughaswamy Commission, the hospital raised the demand citing that errors crept in due to the inability of a typist to comprehend and type correct medical terms.Apollo Hospital further said that words like 'intubation' were recorded as 'incubation' and other fatal errors.