Sawt Falasteen - Court orders JIPMER assessment of Durai Dayanidhi before money-laundering trial

The second additional district court for CBI cases questioned why Dayanidhi, son of former Union minister M.K. Alagiri, had not appeared to answer charges when he had attended an IPL match at Chennai’s M.A. Chidambaram Stadium and voted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election with assistance.

The Directorate of Enforcement asked for an examination by a board at AIIMS or JIPMER to determine his current mental capacity for criminal proceedings. Judge S. Shunmugavel noted that Dayanidhi’s counter-affidavit did not deny attending the Chennai Super Kings-Delhi Capitals match or voting; it said he did both with help from others.

The judge held that those activities indicated no impediment to a medical assessment and said an updated evaluation was necessary. JIPMER, a central government institution in Puducherry, was selected because the court considered it a reputable hospital beyond influence from either party.

The JIPMER director was asked to form a team comprising a chief psychiatrist, clinical psychologist and chief neurologist, decide whether hospital admission is required and conduct the examination promptly. The report must be sent directly to the court in a sealed cover. Dayanidhi was ordered to attend when notified and co-operate with the tests.

W.Mansour--SF-PST