Dinakaran's arrest a step towards cleansing of TN politics: BJP

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], Apr 26 (ANI): Hailing the arrest of ousted AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dinakaran by the Delhi Police in a bribery case, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said that the development is a major step towards cleansing the politics in Tamil Nadu and making it corrupt-free. BJP state chief Tamilisai Soundararajan said that Dinakaran has been arrested based on evidences against him, adding that there should be a full stop to such corrupt activities, particularly in the electoral process. "They want to buy the votes, they want to buy the symbol and they want to buy the victory. That is the scenario prevalent in Tamil Nadu. So, there should be a full stop to such corrupt activities, particularly in the electoral process. They are evidences for what they have done. And based on that evidence he has been arrested. We welcome the move. Our main aim is to cleanse the politics and it may be a step towards that," Soundararajan told ANI. Responding to a poser on allegations that the BJP is backing such activities, Soundararajan said it is a dangerous view of the communist and other opponent parties. "It is the communist's view and the other opponent parties' view which is very dangerous. They are leaving the corruption practices of the party but are blaming the BJP for the arrest activity. It is like blaming cop for arresting a thief. Law has taken its course so why are they blaming the BJP," she said. The state BJP chief accused both AIADMK and DMK of being drenched in cases of corruption, while claiming her party to be non-corrupt and the one ensuring a transparent rule. "Now AIADMK leaders, particularly the general secretary and joint general secretary have been booked in corruption cases. Their general secretary was also convicted. In Tamil Nadu, the people need a corruption-free, transparent government. Even the DMK cannot give this because there are 2g cases against them. So, only non-corrupt party, which can give transparency in governance, is the BJP," she said. Ousted AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dinakaran, who was arrested by the Delhi Police on Tuesday midnight in a bribery case, will be produced before the court today. Dinakaran's lawyer will be seeking his bail before the Tis Hazaari court. "He has been arrested. He will be produced before the Tiz Hazaari court today at 2 p.m. We will be moving a bail application," Dinakaran's lawyer Sarthak told the media here. Dramatic developments unfolded on Tuesday midnight, as after four days of marathon grilling, the Delhi Police finally arrested Dinakaran in the case involving the bribing of an Election Commission official to get the party's 'two-leaves' symbol. Besides Dinakaran, his aide Mallikarjuna was also arrested under IPC Section 170- Personating a public servant, and Section 120 B- Punishment of criminal conspiracy. During his third day of interrogation by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police yesterday, Dinakaran finally accepted that he met Sukesh Chandrashekhar, the man alleged to be the middleman in his bribery dealing with the Election Commission of India (ECI). Dinakaran, sources say, initially refused to have known Sukesh. He later accepted meeting him when Sukesh himself gave the details of his meeting with the former. However, Dinakaran maintained that he did not pay any money to Sukesh. The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police now has to establish the possible reasons for which the two might have met. For this, they have sought of the help of the EC official who helped him dealing with the poll watchdog. Searches were conducted at Sukesh's Kochi residence to trace the amount paid to him. Details of calls made and received, and messages sent and received are also being sought. It is being said that the Crime Branch was trying to get to the core of the issue and believes a nexus is at work, which is run by a higher authority. Earlier on Sunday, Dinakaran was cross examined along with his 'friend' Mallikarjuna and P.A. Janardhanan, sources state. They were quizzed about the money trail of the alleged bribe. Also, the matter of Dinakaran staying over with Mallikarjuna for around 10 days after an FIR was filed against him was also brought up during the interrogation. On Saturday, Dinakaran was given a set of questions by the Delhi Police in connection with the case. On Thursday, a team of the Delhi Police Crime Branch reached Chennai and served a notice on Dinakaran and asked him to join the probe. The Delhi Police had issued a lookout notice against Dinakaran on Tuesday. The police had arrested and sent Sukesh to custody for allegedly striking a deal of Rs. 50 crore to help the Dinakaran faction keep the 'two leaves' poll symbol. The Crime Branch recovered approximately Rs. 1.3 crore and two luxury cars, a BMW and a Mercedes, from Chandrashekhar. Chandrasekhar was picked up from the Hyatt hotel and was produced at the residence of Special Judge Poonam Chaudhry, who allowed the Delhi Police's plea to interrogate the accused for eight days. Dinakaran was also named as an accused in the FIR, filed by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. Dinakaran's faction contested on the hat symbol for the R.K. Nagar assembly by-polls, after the Election Commission froze their two leaves symbol while acknowledging the split in the party. (ANI)