VK Sasikala said that despite being unwell, Jayalalithaa didn’t listen to advice and refused to go to the hospital. This was before she fainted at her residence on September 22nd, 2016. VK Sasikala said this in her defense before the inquiry panel that has been probing the former CM’s death.
Sasikala revealed in the affidavit filed before the Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission that Jayalalithaa had indicated she was unwell. Sasikala further claimed that Jayalalithaa’s health problems were linked to the stress that she experienced when she was convicted in the disproportionate assets case. The affidavit filed was 55 pages long and was filed on March 12th. Jayalalithaa was taken to the hospital on September 22, 2016 where she died on December 5th of the same year.
The affidavit says that Jayalalithaa at the Poes Garden restaurant from where she was rushed to the hospital after her collapse. Earlier that day, Sasikala suggested that she see a doctor but the ex-CM refused. When she regained consciousness she enquired about where she was being taken. Sasikala also claims in the affidavit that Jayalalithaa’s health had been steadily deteriorating since 2014, and she began experiencing high blood sugar levels in September 2016. The same sugar levels affected her mobility as well. To back her claim, Sasikala attached a list of the 20 doctors who had attended to the CM between 2014 and 2016. She also demanded that the doctors testify before the commission.
The affidavit says that nobody was allowed to meet Jayalalithaa when she was admitted. Sasikala pointed out that Governor C Vidyasagar Rao met her on October 22nd, 2016. So did leaders O Panneerselvam, M Thambidurai and C Vijayabaskar between September 22nd and 27th, 2016. This is based on video evidence obtained at the hospital. But AIADMK leaders Panneerselvam and Thambi Durai said they were denied access to meet the leader during those three months. The videos taken, Sasikala says were taken with Jayalalithaa’s permission in an effort to document her health says the affidavit. Vidyasagar Rao even wrote about seeing ‘Akka’ through a glass partition wherein Jayalalithaa had recognised him in his book, ‘Those Eventful Days’.
The affidavit is quite explicit, revealing a very personal account of Jayalalithaa’s last days, but whether this will clear Sasikala of the blame for Jayalalithaa’s still remains a huge question. The answer to which still rests with the inquiry panel.