Former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s driver Ayappan has now declared that she was unwell a day before she was admitted to Apollo Hospital. After inaugurating the Chennai Metro Rail and some new buses via video conferencing on September 21, 2016, she told Ayappan to go to her residence directly, instead of her chamber, Times of India reported.
Ayappan made his statements to the media after he deposed before the Justice (retd.) Arumughasamy Commission, which is probing allegations of foul play into Jayalalithaa’s death.
Now, these revelations further remove the shroud of blame on the ex-Chief Minister’s aide VK Sasikala, who was accused of having a hand in her death.
"She didn’t feel well and left the Secretariat to go home. The next day (22nd) morning, my duty was supposed to finish. At 10:10 pm the same day, I was informed that she was admitted to the hospital. I was asked to bring some of her belongings to the hospital. DGP Rajendran, chief secretary Rama Mohana Rao and PS Veeraperumal were there. Amma was speaking to Dr Sivakumar and others in the emergency ward, she had recovered by then (at 10:45pm),” Ayappan told the media.
He further claims to have seen the late leader thrice during treatment during her 75-day hospitalisation and claims she was responding well to it.
Dismissing the notion that Sasikala did not take Jayalalithaa to the hospital on time, he said that it was the former CM who was adamant against being admitted. But she was reportedly coaxed to go to the hospital by Sasikala. And while she was shifted out of the emergency ward in November, she was critical again in December, the report says.
The driver, however, said neither were there injuries to her head, nor were her toes amputated.
“I started working for her in 1991 and I know well the facts. Chinnamma (Sasikala) took care of her well till the last minute. Even my relatives used to ask me why I was continuing in the job. Chinnamma was loyal and truthful. Truth will triumph one day,” the driver said.
Ayyappan also said that then Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and other ministers would visit the hospital every morning and stayed there till lunch. “After that, they would visit again and would stay till 10.30 pm,” he said.