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Jaya video: Vetrivel moves court for bail
The 20 second video clipping of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in hospital, which was released by P Vetrivel, disqualified AIAIDMK legislator and a loyalist of ousted AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran, continues to haunt him. Four days after the district principal sessions court dismissed his advance bail application, Vetrivel has now moved the Madras High Court seeking bail.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
On December 20, Vetrivel released the video of a frail Jayalalithaa on a hospital bed. In the footage, Jayalalithaa is seen in a night dress, watching TV and sipping juice. She has an I-V drip attached on her right hand. The video created a political storm with the ruling party and others questioning the timing of the release. The video was released a day ahead of assembly by-poll of RK Nagar seat, which Dinakaran contested as an independent candidate and won it subsequently.
Mystery shrouded the death of Jayalalithaa after some state ministers and party leaders suggested conspiracy behind her demise. Following their claims, a one-man panel was set up to probe the matter. Releasing the video, Vetrivel had said he had no other option than releasing it as a lot of controversies were floated on the death of their leader. He had said the timing of release had nothing to do with the RK Nagar bypoll.
However, Washermanpet police registered a case against Vetrivel based on a complaint filed by the Returning Officer. Subsequently, the Anna Square police booked yet another case against Vetrivel under IPC provisions based on the complaint given by the secretary to Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry, which is probing Jayalalithaa’s death.
Initially, Vetrivel approached the Chennai principal sessions court for bail on December 22. While he had contended that he was innocent, and had no ulterior motive for releasing the video, the additional city public prosecutor had submitted that Vetrivel’s action was meant to influence the voters. But the court on hearing both sides refused to grant any relief to Vetrivel.
Apprehending arrest in both the cases, the former legislator has now approached the High Court. The plea is likely to be heard by the vacation court on Thursday.
Panel unhappy with failure to submit more videos
The one-man commission probing the death of the late CM J Jayalalithaa is unhappy that disqualified MLA P Vetrivel has made claims that he has more video evidence, but has failed to submit anything other than the leaked visuals. “He should then put out a statement that he has no other videos, or verify that he has submitted every shred of info he possesses to us. But Vetrivel has done neither,” N Paneerselvam, Secretary to Justice Arumughaswamy, said.
Panneerselvam also confirmed that the commission has received a government order to extend the date to filing its report until June 14, 2018 - and that they would remain in the Kalas Mahal at Chepauk until then.
“Taking all recent happenings into account, we have been given an extension of six more months. As of now, our focus is on receiving every amount of evidence possible which is out there and then formulating the report, for instance, the Justice was rudely taken aback by the supposedly genuine video of Jayalalithaa at Apollo hospital sipping juice released by Vetrivel. We were in the middle of a deposition actually, when AIADMK party member PA Joseph (who had filed the initial PIL) showed it to us. We are not claiming it was morphed directly, the commission does not have the technology to prove that. There are experts in other departments working on the same. But suggestions that the former CM was fully covered in clothing from head to toe, during her stay at the hospital (part of her legs are seen in the video) and that even her face was not visible, have led to reasonable doubt of the video’s authenticity,” he explains.
Apparently, though there were lots of separate bits of information supplied by many members of the public directly to the inquiry panel, as well as to police stations (which have since been submitted to the Justice), none was worthy of being pursued further.
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