AIADMK leader and Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran. AIADMK leader and Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran.

AIADMK deputy General Secretary and Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran was booked in an alleged bribery case by Delhi Crime Branch on Monday. Dinakaran was accused of bribing Election Commission officials to get the party’s ‘Two leaves’ symbol alloted to the Sasikala faction. Delhi Police arrested an alleged middle man, Sukesh Chandrasekhar, and recovered at least Rs 1.3 crore from . The money recovered was purportedly planned for bribing the EC officials. Dinakaran 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.

Read| Bid to destroy our party, will fight case legally, says TTV Dinakaran

A senior police officer has however claimed that Chandrasekhar stuck a deal for Rs 50 crore with Dinakaran. “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,” he 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 two cars detained at the ISC police station in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi related to the arrest of Sukesh Chandrasekhar over charges of bribery. Express Photo/Tashi Tobgyal The two cars detained at the ISC police station in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi related to the arrest of Sukesh Chandrasekhar over charges of bribery. Express Photo/Tashi Tobgyal

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.

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