Don’t have bio samples of Jayalalithaa, says Apollo to Madras HC

CHENNAI: Apollo Hospitals, where J Jayalalithaa was hospitalised, has informed the Madras high court that it doesn’t have any biological sample of the late Tamil Nadu chief minister. The submission came in response to a query raised by Justice S Vaidyanathan while hearing a plea by Bengalurubased Amrutha who claimed to be Jayalalithaa’s daughter. She wanted the court to order a DNA test.
“Since the late CM’s medical condition was challenging to treat due to multiple comorbidities, and in view of the same, all biological samples collected from her were used to run a battery of tests to rule out and/ or confirm various medical conditions ... no biological sample belonging to her is available with the hospital as on date,” said an affidavit filed by Apollo Hospitals legal manager S M Mohan Kumar. Treatment rendered to her is explained in the discharge summary dated December 7, 2016, he said.

Govt files affidavit, says no evidence to prove petitioner’s claim

The report has been handed over the state government on its request on March 6, 2017. The state had circulated the summary and it is now available in public domain, he said.

To this, senior counsel for the petitioner V Prakash submitted that he had obtained opinion from experts in Hyderabad on such DNA test, in which they have said that such tests can be done with samples obtained from Deepa, a niece of Jayalalithaa.

Recording the submissions, the court posted the plea to June 4 for further hearing. Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Chennai on September 22,2016. Shedied on December 5, 2016.

During earlier hearings, Jayalalithaa’s nephew Deepak and niece Deepa had opposed Amrutha’s claim and submitted that the petitioner had to approach only the civil court as she had not furnished any proof in support of her claim.

The state government, meanwhile, filed an affidavit saying it had no evidence to prove the petitioner’s claim that she had met former chief minister at her Poes Garden residence or that Jayalalithaa had met her during her visits to Bengaluru.