Chennai: In mounting trouble for TTV Dhinakaran, the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday registered a money laundering case against him in connection with the case filed against him for allegedly attempting to bribe an Election Commission official to get a favourable order for his faction in the “Two Leaves” symbol case.
The ED filed the case after it took cognisance of an FIR filed by the Delhi Police in the case since it is suspected that money might have been transferred to the alleged conman, Sukesh Chandrashekhar, through the hawala route. Filing of the case by the ED has further tightened the noose around Mr Dhinakaran, who has been sidelined by the AIADMK ever since he was asked by the Delhi Police to join investigations.
Mr Dhinakaran, who was arrested by the Delhi Police after four days of intense grilling on April 25 midnight, is currently in Tihar Jail after a local court sent him to judicial custody till May 15.
The Delhi Police had brought Mr Dhinakaran to Chennai last week to question him along with his aides here. ED officials said the case has been filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and that they will probe the possible “proceeds of crime” as part of its charter under the anti-money laundering law. The officials also said they would soon issue summons to Mr Dhinakaran for joining the probe.
The registration of the case comes close on the heels of a meeting between Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Delhi Police officials. Sukesh Chandrasekar, who was the first to be arrested in the case, had allegedly struck a deal for Rs 50 crore to help the Sasikala faction of the AIADMK keep the ‘Two Leaves” symbol, which has been frozen by the EC after former chief minister O.Panneerselvam’s faction also staked a claim to it.
