New Delhi, April 17: AIADMK deputy General Secretary and Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran was booked in an alleged bribery case by Delhi Crime Branch on Monday. According to reports, Dinakaran was accused of bribing Election Commission officials to get party’s ‘Two leaves’ symbol. Delhi Police recovered at least Rs 1.3 crore from Dinakaran’s aide, which he was allegedly using to bribe EC officials. He has been booked by Delhi Police under IPC sections 170, 120b and 8 PoC.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Dinkaran denied the charges, and said he never bribed anyone. “I don’t know anybody by this name, Sukesh Chandrasekhar. I have not bribed anyone for anything,” he said. Dinkaran also said he will legally face the allegations against him. “I will legally face if any summon comes to me from Delhi Police,” he said.
“It has been learnt that Sukesh had struck a deal for Rs 50 crore for helping the AIADMK faction keep the ‘two leaves’ symbol. Police have recovered Rs 1.30 crore from Sukesh and two cars — a BMW and a Mercedes — have also been seized,” a senior police officer said. The bypoll to the RK Nagar Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu was scheduled for April 12, but the Election Commission cancelled it, saying the electoral process had been “seriously vitiated” by parties through use of money power.
The EC had frozen the ‘two leaves’ symbol before RK Nagar bypoll, recognising the split in party. Dinakaran, according to India Today, was allegedly told by mediator Sukesh Chandrasekhar that the symbol will be given to his faction, if he paid more money. The police nabbed Chandrashekhar from Hyatt Hotel on Sunday night. The police officials said that Dinakaran will be served a notice to join the investigation.
Dinakaran is considered a close ally of Sasikala, who is currently incarcerated at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison after she was found guilty in a disproportionate assets case.
