Probe panel puts off visit over condition of Jaya’s hospital room

Reports that the room has since been used by other patients has led to questions of whether the Commission would be able to corroborate information it received during depositions with the status of the room. 

A scheduled visit by lawyers of the commission on June 15 was postponed following  inadequate notice and preparation by the hospital. Lawyers Niranjan and Parthasarathy of the enquiry commission were slated to visit Apollo Hospitals’ intensive care unit and the room where Jayalalithaa underwent treatment during her stay there. 

The lawyers were to visit the hospital at 10.30 am on June 15, but it was cancelled at the last minute. Apollo Hospitals said that it was unable to adequately prepare for such an unannounced visit as it would disrupt the schedule of patients visiting the facility and those staying for treatment. 

Taking cognisance of this, the Commission cancelled the visit which will be rescheduled at a later date. Jayalalithaa had spent 75 days at the hospital following her admission on September 22, 2016, after taking ill. She passed away on  December 5, 2016.