Sasikala played big role in govt and AIADMK till 2011, says niece Krishnapriya

Krishnapriya was deposing before the Arumughasamy Commission set up to probe Jayalalithaa’s death.
Sasikala played big role in govt and AIADMK till 2011, says niece Krishnapriya
Sasikala played big role in govt and AIADMK till 2011, says niece Krishnapriya
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In what has long been an open secret in the state, Sasikala’s niece has reportedly told the Arumughasamy Commission that her aunt wielded significant influence in both the government and the party till December 2011, according to The Hindu that first broke the story.

Quoting sources, the newspaper states that Krishnapriya deposed before the commission on January 2. She reportedly said that Sasikala, who was former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s close aide for over three decades, even had a say in the appointment of top bureaucrats.

The deposition, made under oath, reportedly read, “In (government) administration, the transfers of officials, right from Collectors to top officials in the Secretariat, and even those in the police department, were carried out on her direct supervision. Only the trusted lieutenants of Sasikala were appointed as secretaries to the Chief Minister and they were handpicked by her.”

Krishnapriya is the daughter of Sasikala’s brother Jayaraman and his wife Ilavarasi. Sasikala and Ilavarasi are currently lodged at the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bangalore on account of their conviction in the Disproportionate Assets case in February 2017.

Sasikala and her close family members were long known to have been part of every level of government and exercising their influence thanks to Sasikala’s proximity to the late chief minister. Krishnapriya also reportedly stated that up until 2011, when Sasikala was briefly ousted from Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence, she had a huge influence on the party as well. It is reported that Sasikala was involved at every level from selecting candidates for polls to taking disciplinary action on errant party cadre.

In another shocking revelation earlier this week, the Chairman of Apollo Hospitals where Jayalalithaa was receiving treatment prior to her death, said that all CCTVs on Jayalalithaa’s floor were switched off. He said, “Unfortunately, we switched off the CCTVs because we didn't want everyone to watch the treatment being given to her.”

The one man Arumughasamy Commission was set up last September to probe the circumstances surrounding the hospitalisation and subsequent death of Jayalalithaa. 

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