india

Updated: Dec 19, 2018 07:34 IST

When late chief minister J Jayalalithaa was under treatment for 75 days at Apollo Hospital in the city, the food served to her alone cost a whopping Rs 1.17 crore.

Documents submitted by Apollo Hospital before the inquiry commission probing the death of the former chief minister reveal that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has paid most of the bill, with the small matter of Rs 44.46 lakh left to be settled.

Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital on September 22, 2016 and died on December 5, 2016.

The AIADMK had claimed that it had paid Rs 6 crore to the hospital on June 15, 2017and Rs 41 lakh earlier on October 13, 2016, but the hospital’s bill summary shows that there is still an outstanding amount. Then, the AIADMK had maintained that the party would not use tax payers’ money but rather foot the bill from the party’s treasury.

Of the total cost, the hospital had charged a consultation fee of Rs 71 lakh, Rs 1.92 crore for health services while medicines accounted for Rs 38 lakh. Rs 92 lakh was charged for the services of Dr Richard Beale from UK and another Rs 12 lakh for the physiotherapy services from Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore.

Room rent alone was Rs 1.24 crore.

Jayalalithaa’s close confidant VK Sasikala and her some of her relatives stayed at the hospital during her 75-day treatment.

Meanwhile, the hospital expressed “surprise” at the bill being leaked.

“We are surprised that a confidential document submitted to the Commission has been leaked. Only two sides know about the document - Apollo Hospitals and the Commission. We had submitted it at the Commission’s office. Now, it has been leaked to media at which we are surprised,” Maimoon Badsha, counsel for Apollo at the Commission, said.

Constituted in September last year, a one man panel of Justice (retired) A Arumughaswamy has so far examined over 130 witnesses, including IAS and IPS officers, doctors and staff of Apollo Hospitals as well as Jayalalithaa’s personal aides at her Poes Garden residence. Apollo Hospitals has submitted to the panel voluminous records pertaining to the treatment given to the late leader.

The Commission has also sought permission to question Sasikala, who is incarcerated in a Bengaluru prison after the Supreme Court upheld her conviction and that of Jayalalithaa in the case of owning disproportionate assets.

The panel has been given three extensions and is expected to submit its report on February 24 next, coinciding with Jayalalithaa’s birth anniversary.

Also read: First look of J Jayalalithaa biopic revealed, Nithya Menen aces as former CM at the start of her political career. See pic