TTV Dinakaran, jailed AIADMK (Amma) general secretary VK Sasikala’s nephew, was grilled for over seven hours by Delhi Police Crime Branch team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sanjay Sehrawat for his alleged attempt to bribe the officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“He was asked 25 pointed questions and confronted with Sukesh Chandrashekhar who was being questioned in the adjoining room,” said a police official tasked with the probe.
He was questioned at length along with his personal secretary Janardan and Sukesh Chandrasekar, the conduit arrested by the Crime Branch. Delhi Police had on April 20 issued summons directing him to appear before its Crime Branch Inter State Cell (ISC) office on Saturday. Dinakaran arrived at ISC office at Chanakyapuri with his wife and brother on Saturday afternoon.
“He was evasive during questioning and was not cooperating with the investigating team. During major part of questioning Dinakaran did not divulge anything,” well-placed sources told The Pioneer.
“Delhi Police will soon book Dinakaran on the charges of conspiracy as there is sufficient evidence against him that he tried to bribe ECI officials to get back the frozen symbol of AIADMK for his faction,” said a police officer.
Dinakaran’s questioning is expected to continue for next two days. He has been asked to appear before the Investigating Officer (IO) on Sunday.
Sources said that Sukesh Chandrasekar has named 17 more persons who were involved in the attempt to bribe ECI officials to get the Two leaves as the party symbol which has been frozen by the poll body following the dispute between two factions of AIADMK; one belonging to now-sidelined party general secretary VK Sasikala and the other led by former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam -- claiming it as their own.
Asked whether Dinakaran will be arrested, the officials said that investigation was going on and evidence is being collected and no decision has been taken to arrest him yet.
Dinakaran has come under the Delhi Police scanner after the arrest of Sukesh Chandrasekar, the middleman. However, Dinakaran has been maintaining that he does not know any person of this name.
Sources said that Crime Branch sleuths are scanning his call logs, WhatsApp messages and SMSes that he had reportedly sent to various people including Sukesh Chandrasekhar. Dinakaran was asked about the money trail, his association with Sukesh Chandrasekar and whether he has met any Election Commission official or not. Dinakaran was pointedly asked about the money that was recovered from the hotel room of Sukesh. Armed with the full money trail and the details of hawala operators, sleuths quizzed Dinakaran.
Investigations have revealed that Dinakaran and Sukesh Chandrasekar struck a Rs 50-crore deal to try and bribe officials from the Election Commission. “ISC team will cross-question the two in the light of the evidence collected so far,” police official involved in the probe said.
Earlier a team of lawyers tried to accompany Dinakaran to the Crime Branch office but they were prevented by the police officers. The lawyers wanted to be with Dinakaran during questioning by the Crime Branch officials but were denied permission.