A DMK MLA sought a CBI probe in the case of late AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa’s fake thumb impression on the 2016 election affidavit of AIADMK candidate AK Bose– filed for Thirupparankundram assembly seat by-polls that year.
DMK MLA Dr P Saravanan demanded that Jayalalithaa’s close aide VK Sasikala, AIADMK’s former Presidium Chairman E Madhusoodanan and former TN Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni along with other poll officials are probed in the matter.
Saravanan alleged that Jayalalithaa –admitted to Apollo Hospitals on September 22, 2016– was unconscious when Madhusoodanan wrote to the chief electoral officer asking him to accept Jayalalithaa’s left thumb’s impression in form A and B filed by party candidate AK Bose.
“Madhusoodanan asked the CEO to state that Jayalalithaa could put her left thumb impression in the presence of doctors treating her. However, Jayalalithaa was unconscious at that time,” Saravanan told HT.
AK Bose won the election but died in 2017.
Saravanan said the CEO accepted the request against the Party and Symbol rule 1968.
“No doctor can witness and sign when a party leader is putting a thumb impression on the candidate’s election forms A and B. However, the then CEO allowed it,” Saravanan said in his plea.
The DMK leader alleged that the then Madurai District Election Officer (DEO), the Returning Officer (RO) carried out the illegal act along with the doctors, Sasikala and Madhusoodanan.
The Madras High Court had on March 22 voided the results of the 2016 by-polls after it emerged that Jayalalithaa’s thumb impression was taken when she was unconscious. Sarvanan won the subsequent by-poll.
The DMK has already petitioned the election commission to derecognise AIADMK over this issue.
AIADMK joint coordinator R Vaithilingam said the party was not worried about DMK’s “tactics”.
“If DMK wants to defeat us, it should go to the public. Since the AIADMK enjoys overwhelming support of TN citizens, the DMK is afraid of us. We will take necessary steps to protect our interests” the Rajya Sabha member told HT.
The doctors mentioned in the petition and the concerned EC officials couldn’t be reached for comments.
