Minister says they were 'briefed' about Jaya's health

COIMBATORE: Amid conflicting claims by AIADMK leaders over access to party supremo Jayalalithaa during her hospitalisation, Tamil Nadu Minister O S Manian today said the state Health Minister and the Apollo Hospitals

Chairman had briefed them about her health status.

"We were given updates on her health status by (Health Minister C) Vijayabaskar and Apollo Hospitals' (Pratap C) Reddy," he told reporters here. Manian, the handlooms and textile minister, was replying to a specific question on who were the ministers who had seen Jayalalithaa during her 75 days of hospitalisation from September 22 last year.

She had died on December 5, 2016.

His comments come at a time when some state ministers had made contradictory claims on meeting the then chief minister in hospital.

Forest Minister Dindigul C Srinivasan and Commercial Taxes Minister K C Veeramani had recently said that no one was allowed to see Jayalalithaa, while their cabinet colleague Sellur K Raju yesterday contradicted them.

"All the ministers met her," he had told reporters. Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran camp yesterday said the inquiry commission announced by the state government to probe Jayalalithaa's death should question the ministers over their contradictory views.

Manian also welcomed the constitution of the inquiry commission to probe the death of Jayalalithaa.