Eighty-seven-year-old Dayalu Ammal was one of the suspects in the 2G spectrum scam, that cost the Indian exchequer Rs.1,76,645 crore (US$28 billion), in 2010.
Dayalu Ammal, wife of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi, could not be involved in 2G spectrum scam as she has been suffering from Alzheimer’s and other age-related illnesses for last several years, her doctors told the special CBI court here on Thursday. Ammal is an accused in the telecommunications scam, in which politicians and government officials undercharged mobile telephone companies for frequency allocation licenses. The difference between the money collected and that mandated to be collected was estimated by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at US $28 billion, based on 2010 3G and BWA spectrum-auction prices.
P Gopal, a Chennai-based doctor said that he was treating the 87-year-old Ammal for last 27 years for age-related illnesses. He said that Ammal was diagnosed with Sjogren’s disease in 2000.
She was first treated at Chennai and was later referred to Singapore, UK and USA. Sjogren’s syndrome is a disorder of the immune system identified by two most common symptoms - dry eyes and a dry mouth.
"In 2012, it was noticed that Ammal was suffering from behavioural changes and experts were called in and the investigation proved that she was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease," the doctor said.
Doctors found her suffering from Alzheimer’s disease when she was taken to National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bengaluru. “She is still under treatment of experts from Chennai. Her condition is deteriorating," he added.
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