A doctor, treating DMK chief M Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal for almost three decades, today told a special court that she cannot be involved in the alleged money laundering case arising from 2G spectrum scam as she has been suffering from Alzheimer's and other age-related diseases for several years.
The statement by the doctor assumes significance as Dayalu Ammal's lawyers have been maintaining that she was not involved in the day-to-day affairs of accused firm Kalaignar TV Pvt Ltd, in which she held 60 per cent stake.
Dayalu, along with 18 others, including former Telecom Minister A Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi, is facing trial in the case in which Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that Rs 200 crore illegal gratification was routed to Kalaignar TV through a circuitous route by promoters of Swan Telecom Pvt Ltd (STPL).
Deposing as a defence witness in the case, Dr P Gopal told Special CBI Judge O P Saini that Dayalu was around 82- year-old and he has been treating her for the last 27 years for multiple ailments which are mostly age related.
"In 2012, it was noticed that she (Dayalu Ammal) was suffering from behavioural changes and experts were called in and the investigation done proved that she was suffering from Alzheimer's disease (dementia)," he said.
"She was taken to NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences) at Bangalore where they diagnosed as above and treatment was started. She is still under treatment and experts from Chennai are treating her. She is still under treatment as her condition has not improved and her condition is deteriorating," he told the court.
During the cross-examination, special public prosecutor Anand Grover asked Gopal whether he was an expert on dementia.
Responding to this, the doctor said, "I am not an expert in dementia or Alzheimer's. I have spoken about her condition in this regard on the basis of reports of experts. I am not an expert to carry the tests required to be conducted on her."
He also said, "I see her (Dayalu Ammal) in my professional capacity and not as a friend of the (Karunanidhi) family. I have not developed a rapport either with the family or with the patient."
During his cross-examination, the Chennai-based doctor deposed that he did not know if Dayalu had exercised her right to vote in the 2014 general elections.
