The crime branch of Delhi Police booked AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran on Monday for allegedly trying to bribe an Election Commission official for the 'two leaves' poll symbol in the by-election to RK Nagar Assembly seat.
Dhinakaran, a leader of the AIADMK faction led by his jailed aunt VK Sasikala, was booked following the arrest of Sukesh Chandrasekhar, a middleman, from a five-star hotel in Delhi.
After being booked by the police, Dhinakaran said that he will deal with the case legally.
“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. Two cars – a BMW and a Mercedes – have also been seized,” said a senior police officer.
Sukesh is being interrogated to know about his profile and his connection with any EC official, he said.
The Election Commission had frozen AIADMK's 'two leaves' symbol after the two factions led by Sasikala and former chief minister O Panneerselvam staked claim to it.
The faction led by its general secretary Sasikala, jailed in a disproportionate assets case, later opted for the 'hat' symbol.
The bypoll to the RK Nagar Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu was scheduled for 12 April, but the Election Commission cancelled it, saying the electoral process had been “seriously vitiated” by parties through the use of money power.
Dhinakaran was the candidate of the Sasikala faction. The seat fell vacant after the death of the then chief minister J Jayalalithaa on 5 December and the bypoll is being viewed as a battle of prestige for the two factions of the AIADMK.
(With PTI inputs.)
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