Efforts being made to destroy AIADMK: Dhinakaran on bribery charges

Chennai: AIADMK (Amma) Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran, booked by Delhi Police for allegedly trying to bribe an Election Commission official, vowed on Monday to fight the case legally and alleged that efforts were being made to "destroy our organisation politically".

The crime branch of Delhi Police booked Dhinakaran for allegedly trying to bribe an Election Commission official to get the 'Two Leaves' poll symbol in the by-election to the R K Nagar Assembly seat.

He was booked following the arrest of Sukesh Chandrasekhar, a middleman, from a five-star hotel in Delhi on Sunday.

The leader of the V K Sasikala faction of the ruling party also claimed he did not know Sukesh Chandrasekhar, a middleman arrested by the Delhi police in this matter.

"I will answer if I get summons. I will face it legally. How does a broker or somebody say the money was from TTV Dhinakaran? I don't know anybody by that name nor have I come across any such name in my life," he told reporters here.

He claimed efforts were on to "destroy our organisation politically," but said he was not aware who was doing so.

"Such information is being spread to destroy our organisation politically. It is basically wrong to say that Sukesh has spoken to me. I don't know any such person. I don't know what is the plan and who is doing it," Dhinakaran, on his way to meet his aunt and jailed party chief Sasikala at Bengaluru, said.

He also denied the bribery charges, saying "I didn't bribe anybody."

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 bypoll to the R K Nagar Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu was scheduled for April 12, but the EC cancelled it, saying the electoral process had been "seriously vitiated" by parties through use of money power.

Dhinakaran was the candidate of the Sasikala faction.

The seat fell vacant after the death of then chief minister J Jayalalithaa on December 5.