Kodanad murder cum heist case: SIT officers question late CM Jayalalithaa’s PA

COIMBATORE: The special investigation team (SIT) of the Crime Branch-CID police questioned S Poongundran, 49, who was the personal assistant (political) of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, in connection with the Kodanad murder cum heist case on Tuesday.Sources said Poongundran, who completed his postgraduation in engineering, had served as the PA of Jayalalithaa for 19 years.He resided with his family members at Thiruvanmiyur in Chennai.After being summoned, Poongundran appeared before the officers at the SIT-CB-CID office in Gandhipuram here at 11am on Tuesday. The questioning went on till 5 pm. Later talking to reporters, Poongundran said he had answered the questions raised by the police officers. He did not disclose the type of questions asked by the SIT officers.Poongundran said he had told the officers that the vital documents had not been kept at the Kodanad estate bungalow and there had been no CCTV cameras. He was asked if any of the accused in the case had got in touch with him or attempted to contact him before and after the incident. He said no one had contacted him.Following the murder cum heist in April 2017, the Nilgiris district police seized five wristwatches and a crystal showpiece from the accused men. When the SIT officers asked him to furnish the details of the crystal showpiece and watches, Poongundran replied that some of the party functionaries had presented them to the former CM at Poes Garden in Chennai and these items had been shifted to the Kodanad bungalow and kept safely.