EC bribery case: TTV Dinakaran granted bail

Dinakaran and his associate Mallikarjuna along with Sukesh Chandrasekhar were arrested for attempting to bribe election commission officials

The Tis Hazari court in Delhi granted bail to TTV Dinakaran and his aide Mallikarjuna in the Election Commission bribery case. Bail has been granted on conditions of a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh each and two sureties of the like amount. Both accused have been asked to surrender their passports. The court also ordered that the duo appear before investigating offici als as and when asked to.

Dinakaran's bail plea that came up for hearing on Wednesday was adjourned after the court said that a stenographer was not available. TTV Dinakaran and his aide Mallikarjuna were arrested in April by the Delhi crime branch police. The duo was charged with attempting to bribe election commission officials in the AIADMK symbol row to gain a favourable verdict. After spending close to two months in Delhi's Tihar jail, Dinakaran has been granted bail by the court.

The Delhi Crime Branch police had also arrested Sukesh Chandrasekhar, alleged to be the middleman in the case. While Sukesh continues to be in custody, Dinakaran and his aide have been granted bail.

On Monday, the court had extended the judicial custody of TTV Dinakaran till June 12 however, a bail application that he had moved has brought the AIADMK leader and Sasikala Natarajan's nephew some respite. Dinakaran was arrested by Delhi Crime Branch police after four days of questioning. Dinakaran was issued summons after Sukesh Chandrasekhar was arrested in the case.

Two hawala operators have also been apprehended in the case. All accused face charges of attempting to bribe Election Commission officials in the AIADMK two leaves symbol case and transferring money through illegal channels from Chennai to Delhi.

Dinakaran's bail is expected to make matters worse for the AIADMK merger that had already hit a roadblock. Two factions of the AIADMK were in the process of stitching the party together but the same had come to an abrupt end. Dinakaran's bail is likely to deepen the crisis between the two factions and create further rift in the party.

OneIndia News