A commission conducting inquiries into the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has ordered the media to not telecast or report any news related to her death, The New Indian Express reported on Tuesday.
Retired High Court Justice A Arumughaswamy, who is heading the investigation panel, warned media houses of legal action if they publish news related to Jayalalithaa without the commission’s permission.
The commission passed the order after hearing arguments on an application filed by Jayalalithaa’s former aide VK Sasikala about a documentary on Jayalalithaa’s death that was broadcast on Sun News, The Hindu reported. Sasikala’s lawyer N Raja Senthoor Pandian wanted the channel to submit the documents used to produce the programme. The television channel’s counsel informed the commission that the channel would not telecast the episodes without its prior permission.
An unidentified official at the panel told The Hindu that the order does not stop media houses from reporting on the daily proceedings of the commission.
The commission was set up in August 2017 to investigate the circumstances surrounding Jayalalithaa’s death on December 5, 2016 and the treatment that was provided to her. In October, it was granted a four-month extension.
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