Did Not See Jaya During Treatment, Says Sasikala’s Nephew

Vivek Jayaraman, Sasikala’s nephew, said he was abroad when Jayalalithaa had been hospitalised.

Testifying before the one-man commission probing into the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, her close aide Sasikala’s nephew Vivek Jayaraman has reportedly revealed that he did not meet Jayalalithaa during her hospitalisation.

Speaking to media persons after his testimony to the Arumughasamy Commission, Vivek Jayaraman said, “The enquiry commission is going on. They are calling everyone and doing all the enquiries. By law, it is wrong for us to discuss that. We have waited this long, please wait for some more time.”

Vivek, who was reportedly summoned two days ago, told the commission at the three-hour hearing that he was abroad during Jayalalithaa’s treatment.

Vivek is the son of Ilavarasi, who has also been convicted by the Supreme Court along with Jayalalithaa’s close aide VK Sasikala in the Disproportionate Assets case. While Jayalalithaa was also pronounced guilty by the Supreme Court in February 2017, the case against her was abated on account of her death in December 2016.

Vivek Jayaraman, now the CEO of Jaya TV, has been subjected to several income tax raids across his properties over the past year.

In January, the commission agreed to disclose details of those who have testified against her close aide VK Sasikala.

The commission accepted the petition filed by Sasikala’s counsel, which argued that Sasikala could cross-examine all those who testify against her, and provide her testimony once they had all deposed before the Commission.

On 21 December, Sasikala, who is lodged in the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru, was summoned by the Commission to depose on her knowledge regarding the circumstances surrounding Jayalalithaa's death.

She was summoned to also respond to complaints against her, in addition to presenting evidence on her behalf. Following this, on 5 January, her counsel Raja Senthoor Pandian had requested that the Commission disclose details of all those who had deposed against Sasikala.

This was requested as this may give Sasikala the opportunity to respond, addressing the details of all testimonies.

Sources in the commission have also told Dinakaran newspaper that the five videos of Jaya in hospital submitted to the commission have been sent for a forensic examination to test its authenticity.

While Sasikala is expected to file her reply on 26 February after perusing the 450 exhibits given to her, Vivek Jayaraman has been summoned for a second time on 28 February.

(This article has been published in arrangement with The News Minute)