HC dismisses plea seeking CBI probe into Jaya's death

CHENNAI: The Madras High court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by a litigant for a direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over and probe into the mysterious death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

The first bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice Madras HC dismissed the petition filed by RR Gopalji, a publisher of a Tamil daily newspaper. The judges rejected the petition on the ground it cannot be maintained since the petitioner has not approached the State or CBI by making representation before filing this petition.

According to the petitioner, Justice (retired) Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry revealed several details in connection with the death of Jayalalithaa in December 2016 and a proper inquiry is the need of the hour to unearth the mysteries in the death of Jaya.

The petitioner further noted that the inquiry commission's report accused Jaya's former aide VK Sasikala, former health minister Dr C Vijayabhaskar, former health secretary J Radhakrishnan and Dr K S Sivakumar of the death. Therefore, they should be probed properly by the CBI.

"As the report reveals the names of former ministers, and high-profile officers, the state police should not probe the case. The CBI should take up the matter," the petitioner submitted.

However, the ACJ observed that the petitioner should have made representation to the State and CBI first, and then the plea should be moved before the HC. The bench dismissed the petition.