SC dismisses plea for CBI probe into Jayalalithaa's death

The Supreme Court today dismissed pleas, including that of Rajya Sabha MP and expelled AIADMK leader Sasikala Pushpa, seeking a CBI probe or a judicial investigation by an apex court judge into the death of J Jayalalithaa.

A bench of Justices P C Ghose and R F Nariman said that a similar petition is pending before the Madras High Court.

"We are not inclined to entertain the matter as a similar one is already pending before the Madras High Court. The petitions are dismissed," the bench said.

The apex court, besides Pushpa's plea, also dismissed a writ petition of an NGO on similar lines.

Pushpa had moved the Supreme Court on December 18, 2016 alleging that former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's death was "suspicious" as her actual medical condition was not disclosed, no one was allowed to visit her, her funeral photographs showed embalming marks and everything from her hospitalisation to her death "was kept under wraps".

She had sought directions to the Centre, the Tamil Nadu government and Apollo Hospital, where Jayalalithaa was hospitalised, to disclose details of her health report and treatment in a sealed cover to the apex court.

A similar plea was filed by Tamil Nadu Telugu Yuva Sakthi claiming that doubts have been raised over the circumstances of the AIADMK leader's death and her medical reports needed to be examined by experts.