CCTV Cameras Were Turned Off During Jayalalithaa's Stay, She Was The Only Patient In 24-Bed Unit, Says Apollo Hospital

All CCTV cameras in Chennai's Apollo hospital were turned off for 75-days during the hospitalisation of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa said the chairman Dr Prathap C Reddy on Thursday.

Former AIADMK supremo was admitted to the hospital after she "fainted" on September 22, 2016. During her 75-day hospitalisation at Apollo, where she was admitted in the Intensive Care unit (ICU) till her death on December 5, 2016, she was the only patient in the 24-bed unit.

While addressing a press conference in Chennai, Reddy informed the reporters that the hospital had submitted all documents to the committee probing Jayalalithaa's death except the CCTV footage- because there were none, reportedthe Times Of India.

"Unfortunately, they switched off all the CCTVs for all the 75 days. As soon as she got admitted, the access to the ICU was closed. All patients were diverted to another ICU," the paper reported Reddy as saying.

He further added that "they" did not want everyone to be watching and no visitors were allowed to meet her. The hospital has assured cooperation in the probe.

Retired Justice A Arumughaswamy is heading her death probe.

Over a year past former Tamil Nadu chief minister's death, mystery still surrounds the timing and circumstances of her death. In Septmenber last year, state's minister for Forests, Dindigul Srinivasan, had sought an apology from the people for ‘lying’ about her health so that people would believe that she was improving. He also claimed that the partymen were afraid of Sasikala and were made to give false assurances to the public.

Her close aide, Sasikala had last week filed a 55-page affidavit claiming that four videos of Jayalalithaa were also made in the hospital (with her permission) which were produced before the inquiry commission.

Sasikala has declared that Jayalalithaa had regained consciousness in the ambulance and asked where they were taking her. Countering the allegations by senior AIADMK leaders O Panneerselvam and M Thambidurai, the affidavit said both the leaders along with Health minister C Vijay Baskar met the hospitalised leader sometime during September 22-27, 2016.