The Supreme Court has indicated that it will order the appointment of a medical expert panel to assist the Arumugasami Commission investigating Jayalalithaa’s death.
Record: November 25, 2021 04:01
AM
New Delhi,
A bench headed by Supreme Court Judge Abdul Nasir is hearing a petition filed by Apollo Hospital seeking an injunction against the Arumugasami Commission to probe the death of former First Minister Jayalalithaa.
During yesterday’s hearing, Apollo Senior Counsel CA Sundaram appeared and objected that the new documents on behalf of the Arumugasami Commission were sent to us today (yesterday) at 10.41 am. The judges then asked them to file a reply.
Following this, Arumugasami Commission senior counsel Ranjith Kumar argued that the commission hearing was being held in a one-room public hearing. Apollo’s claim that it was a video investigation is incorrect. The Commission could not accept the request of the press to gather news as the room was small. The Supreme Court may order the state government to appoint a panel of medical experts from a hospital such as AIIMS to assist the commission and conclude the investigation. He argued that the Commission had no objection to such an order.
The judges then asked if the commission had any objections to cross-examining the witnesses. Arumugasami Commission Advocate Ranjith Kumar said no. Before the meal break, Apollo’s lawyer Sundaram should consult the Apollo Medical Administration regarding this case. He therefore asked to be consulted and reported to the Court.
The judges indicated that they would order the appointment of a panel of medical experts to assist the Arumugasami Commission.
The judges refused to accede to Apollo’s request to expand the Arumugasami Commission, with former Supreme Court Justice Banumati or Ibrahim Kalipulla. They also suggested that expanding the commission to its current status would create difficulties. The judges said they would order the Apollo Hospital to provide all the documents needed for the cross-examination and to allow witnesses to cross-examine.
During the afternoon hearing, Ranjit Kumar, counsel for the Arumugasami Commission, said that there was no discrimination in the commission’s investigations and that journalists were allowed to cover the news.
The judges, who recorded the arguments, said the trial would continue tomorrow (today).