DMK candidate contests doctor's deposition on Jaya's thumb impression

P Saravanan, the DMK candidate for the November 2016 Thirupparankundram Assembly bypoll, today contested in the Madras High Court that false depositions were made by a government doctor about the left thumb impression of the former AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on election papers.

Sarvanan's counsel made the claim before Justice P Velmurugan during the hearing of an election plea challenging the election of AIADMK candidate A K Bose in the by-election.

Dr P Balaji had certified Jayalalithaa's thumb impression on the nomination papers of Bose while she was admitted at a hospital here.

The counsel submitted that Dr Balaji had said in his deposition that he read out to Jayalalithaa the letter sent by the Election Commission authorising any medical officer to attest the thumb impression at 6 pm on October 27, 2016, while the original letter was delivered to the AIADMK party office only at 8 pm.

Further, the counsel contended that the doctor had also said the forms with thumb impression of Jayalalithaa were handed over to him when he reached the hospital and this showed that they were not affixed in his presence.

He said Dr Balaji was not authorised by the government or the Apollo Hospitals or the AIADMK to attest the thumb impression and hence he was not an authorised medical officer to carry out the job.

Recording the submissions, the judge posted the matter for further hearing on August 3.