A Delhi court on Saturday said that former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader TTV Dinakaran will face trial in connection with a bribery case involving the Election Commission, PTI reported. The court ordered the framing of criminal conspiracy and other charges against him. The ousted AIADMK leader is currently out on bail.
The Election Commission had frozen the AIADMK’s “two-leaves” symbol after the party split last year following the death of its leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in December 2016. Dinakaran, the nephew of Jayalalithaa’s close aide VK Sasikala, was arrested on April 26, 2017, for allegedly bribing Election Commission officials to get the symbol for his rebel faction.
On Saturday, the Patiala House Court in Delhi charged three other accused in the case and set December 17 to 22 as dates for hearing evidence in the matter, ANI reported.
Special Judge Ajay Bharadwaj said Dinakaran will be tried for the offences related to criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act. The court asked Dinakaran to appear before it on December 4 to sign a copy of the charges framed against him.
In December 2017, the ousted leader won the bye-election in Jayalalithaa’s Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituency in Chennai. Dinakaran formed the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam party in March.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!