Panel releases Jaya’s tapes, handwritten diet

Three audiotapes of Jayalalithaa recorded during her stay in Apollo hospitals were submitted by Dr Sivakumar, who was her personal physician. Jayalalithaa had meticulously logged her diet from 2015 to August 2016. The 98-page log was also submitted by Dr Sivakumar during his cross-examination.

The evidence was submitted during his cross examination by Sasikala’s counsel Raja Senthoor Pandian. He said that Dr Sivakumar had mentioned the existence of the audio and the diet chart during his deposition on January 8. The commission did not request for it to be formally logged, but Sasikala’s counsel requested Dr Sivakumar submit this evidence to disprove the various theories that Jayalalithaa was hospitalised in an unconscious state or possibly brought dead.

In one of the three tapes Jayalalithaa can be heard asking Dr Sivakumar if the audio is being recorded clearly. In another she is heard discussing her blood pressure levels and comparing the breathlessness she feels akin to that of a fan, that whistles in the front row of a movie theatre.

A further revelation from the commission also states that even though a chronic diabetic, Jayalalithaa was fed sweets during her hospitalisation. This detail was present in the logs submitted by Apollo Hospitals where it shows that Jayalalithaa consumed sweets like Gulab Jamun, Laddoo and Rosogolla on November 22, 2016. On December 2 and 3, she is said to have had banana, strawberry and apple milkshake. The medical committee to be constituted by the commission is expected to investigate this detail.

The timing of the release of this information is being widely called into question with various quarters raising doubts that this move is intended to divert attention from the fallout of the police action on anti-Sterlite protests.

Others who appeared for the cross-examination on Saturday include Jayalalithaa’s assistant Poongundran, an employee of the Governor’s Office Srinivasan, Jayalalithaa’s personal security ADGP Veeraperumal and former officer on special duty Shanta Sheela Nair and Dr Sivakumar. Poongundran has been asked to appear again on June 2.