All CCTVs were off during Jaya’s 75 days in hosp

Jayalalithaa’s death was always shrouded in mystery. Now, the mystery has been further confounded by disclosures by Apollo Hospital chairman that the closed circuit television cameras were switched off during the entire duration of Jayalalithaa’s 75-day stay at the hospital.He also said the 24bed intensive care unit was emptied and she was the only patient there.

Jayalalithaa, it will be recalled, died in Chennai's Apollo hospital in December 2016, amid questions fuelled by the secrecy and limited access to the 68-year-old. She was admitted for fever and dehydration.

The disclosures seem to contradict the account of Jaya’s side Sasikala – currently jailed in a corruption case -- who had said the former chief minister was video graphed in a lucid state four times in hospital. Also, senior AIADMK leaders, including O Panneerselvam

and M Thambidurai, had met her. Both leaders have since said they were not allowed to meet Jayalalithaa at any point during her hospitalization.

The Apollo hospital has already released detailed reports regarding the treatment of the former Chief Minister. On Thursday, on the sidelines of a medical press conference in Chennai, hospital chairman Dr Prathap Reddy was asked by reporters if the hospital intends to release any CCTV footage. "I am sorry. Unfortunately, they switched off all the CCTVs for all the 75 days. They removed the camera because they did not want everyone to be watching," Reddy said.

The veteran doctor added that as soon as the then Chief Minister got admitted, access to the Intensive Care Unit was shut off. "All patients were diverted to another ICU. This ICU was occupied only by her. Only one out of 24 rooms in the ICU was used," he said.