Court nod to continue Jaya death probe

A division bench comprising Justice R Subbiah and Justice Krishnan Ramasamy observed as above while adjourning the hearing of pleas moved byApollo Hospitals seeking a stay on the proceedings pertaining to the medical treatment provided to Jayalalithaa in the hospital.

Senior counsel PS Raman appearing for the hospital sought time to file a reply with supporting papers to the counter filed by the commission. This plea for time was faced with stiff objection by senior counsel ARL Sundaresan appearing for the commission. He sought the court to abstain from granting any additional time to the petitioner.

However, the bench on recording the objections adjourned the plea to March 1, while holding that there was no impediment for the commission to proceed further with the inquiry.

It may be noted that during the last hearing, the commission opposed the plea moved by Apollo Hospitals assailing its powers. It had submitted that the commission was constituted for the specific purpose of inquiring into the circumstances and situation leading to the hospitalisation of Jayalalithaa on September 22, 2016 and subsequent treatment provided till her demise on December 5, 2016.

Commission’s secretary S Komala had submitted in a counter affidavit that since the terms of reference cover the medical treatments provided to former chief minister also, it is the duty of the commission to inquire all aspects of treatment.