Jaya death probe panel, well paid, idle for 10 months

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:03.03.2020

For about 10 months now, members of the Justice (retd) A Arumughaswamy commission, formed by the government in 2017 to probe the circumstances surrounding former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s death, have been sitting idle at their office in Chepauk.

On April 26, 2019, the Supreme Court stayed the proceedings of the commission after hearing an appeal filed by Apollo Hospitals. The hospital group had argued that only a medical board should look into the former CM’s treatment issues.

The government continues to pay salaries to the commission’s staff, all deputed from different departments. This includes Justice Armughaswamy himself and two police personnel for security. Another extension of four months was given to the commission last week.

Sources said the government is trying to get the stay vacated but the next SC hearing is yet to come up. Every day, the 10-15 staff come to their office at Kalas mahal and and check the Supreme Court registry in anticipation of the hearing date.

“The tentative date was February 25 and then it was pushed to March 3 and then 17 and now 24,” a source said.

The commission members correspond with government officials on the next course of action as well as getting the affidavits ready, a source said. The initial mandate of the commission was to file a detailed report within six months. Official sources said despite documenting testimonies of more than 100 witnesses including doctors from the hospital, the commission cannot start work on writing the report as it would be a violation of the SC stay order.

Retired Madras high court judge K Chandru said for the government it was important to keep the issue alive as it was started to ensure that some mouths were kept shut. “All commissions of inquiry are a waste of public money,” he said.