Commission probing Jayalalithaa’s death seeks extension of term

The term of Arumughaswamy Commission is set to an end on October 24.

The Arumughaswamy Commission, which is probing the death of former chief minister Jayalalithaa, on Thursday asked the Tamil Nadu government to extend its term for another three months, sources said.

Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami with his deputy O Panneerselvam pays tribute to former chief minister J Jayalalithaa after the foundation stone laying ceremony of a memorial for her at Marina Beach in Chennai. (PTI File Photo)

The commission headed by Justice A Arumughaswamy has probed more than 100 witnesses till date. The term of the commission is set to an end on October 24.

The Tamil Nadu government had extended the commission’s tenure twice before in December 2017 and June 2017.

Since the hospitalization and treatment details of Jayalalithaa were kept secret, many of her followers including deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam had raised doubts about her death.

The Tamil Nadu government formed the commission on September 25, 2017 as it was a prime demand of Panneerselvam as a pre-condition for the merger of his camp with that of chief minister K Palaniswami.

Earlier in the day, before the commission, counsels of V K Sasikala, a close aide of Jayalalithaa, cross-examined doctors Subramaniyam Hegde, Ravikumar and Swaminathan who had treated Jayalalithaa at Apollo hospital in Chennai.