Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Working President MK Stalin on Sunday asked the Centre to order an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s death. He cited state Forest Minister Dindigul C Srinivasan’s statement that All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders had lied about Jayalalithaa’s health before she died in December 2016.

Stalin said it was the Centre’s responsibility to “unravel the mystery” shrouding Jayalalithaa’s death, reported PTI. “Since the central government had assisted in the treatment of Jayalalithaa, it has a responsibility to unravel the mystery surrounding her death… Therefore, using its authority, it should immediately order a CBI probe into the matter,” he said.

On Friday, Srinivasan had said that AIADMK leaders had misled the public into believing that Jayalalithaa’s health was improving because they feared VK Sasikala, the party’s now ousted secretary general who is in jail in a disproportionate assets case.

“Nobody saw Amma eating idli or drinking tea or chatting...all are lies,” Srinivasan had said. “We were afraid of Sasikala at that time and lied about Jayalalithaa’s health condition...It is very common that sisters who fight inside the house will appear to be friendly outside. We did not want the secret of the party to get leaked...that is why we lied.”

Srinivasan had also claimed that no one, including himself, was allowed to see Jayalalithaa when she was admitted to Chennai’s Apollo Hospital in September 2016.

On August 17, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had announced that an inquiry commission would investigate Jayalalithaa’s death. Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had also pressed for a judicial inquiry.