There is a sense of commotion at the small but swanky lane at Karpagam gardens near Besant Nagar in Chennai. ‘JayaHarini’ reads the board outside the swanky bungalow. Plants line the path leading to the two gates. Three plush cars are parked on the portico. The statue of a galloping horse on the balcony says it all—the race for power.
This small lane, where plush cars fitted with red beacons often stop, is the new citadel of power in Tamil Nadu’s capital. The house, belonging to the new deputy general secretary of AIADMK (Amma) T.T.V. Dinakaran, became the bulwark of all the politics that unraveled in Tamil Nadu over the last two months. He was watched by his critics as he tried to script a victory in the now deferred RK Nagar bypolls. However, all his dreams were dashed when I-T raids at a lieutenant’s premises unearthed documents linked to voter bribing. Now, Dinakaran, son of Sasikala’s elder sister Vanithamani, is in deep trouble.
Amidst growing commotion, Dinakaran, clad in a beige Chinese collar shirt, emerges. To the media persons waiting outside he says, "I am innocent. I do not know who Sukesh Chandrasekar is. I just watched the news on TV and consulted my lawyer. I am not worried about anything."
Dinakaran will call on his aunt V.K. Sasikala, who was convicted in the infamous Rs.66 crore Disproportionate Assets case and is now lodged at the Prapana Agrahara prison, at 2pm this afternoon.
The Delhi police Crime Branch on Monday had registered an FIR against Dinakaran for allegedly trying to bribe the Election Commission of India for obtaining the most popular ‘two leaves’ symbol for the AIADMK (Amma) faction. The FIR has been registered under Section 170 of IPC for impersonating a public servant and 120(b) of IPC for criminal conspiracy and Section 8 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for taking gratification by corrupt or illegal means to influence public servants.
The Delhi police on Sunday picked up a middleman named Sukesh Chandrasekar from a five-star hotel in South Delhi. Sukesh was allegedly bribed by Dinakaran and team for securing the frozen two leaves symbol. The police recovered from Sukesh Rs.1.3 crore which was the intended bribe for the Election Commission officials. Dinakaran, according to the Delhi police, was in touch with Sukesh and was willing to pay Rs 2 crore. The Delhi police has sent a summons to Dinakaran asking him to cooperate with the probe.
Apparently, Dinakaran and Sasikala’s faction have been trying to consolidate the AIADMK to continue ruling the state with Edappadi K. Palanisamy as the Chief Minister. The AIADMK (Amma) members were determined to secure victory in the RK Nagar bypolls. The two leaves symbol was their biggest hope as it was floated by AIADMK founder MGR and promoted by his political heir Jayalalithaa Jayaram all along.
Losing the symbol to the rival faction led by O Panneerselvam was a huge setback for Dinakran and team and they resorted to vigorous campaigning and the alleged heavy cash distribution in the constituency. Following this the Election Commission deferred the bypolls.
Dinakaran and others have been trying to retain and run the government, despite pressure from senior leaders within the party. Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai and School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan, who were instrumental in consolidating the party for Sasikala and Dinakaran, are vociferous against Dinakaran’s leadership, say party insiders. In fact, the seniors, sources say, are demanding the exit of Health Minister Dr C. Vijaya Bhaskar from the cabinet and also stepping down of TTV Dinakaran as the party deputy general secretary.
On the day of the Tamil New Year, senior ministers and Chief Minister Palanisamy reportedly met Dinakaran urging him to step down from the post of deputy general secretary. Though members of the AIADMK (Amma) faction are not willing to confirm this, there are rumors that the seniors feel that keeping Vijaya Bhaskar and Dinakaran on board will only bring bad name to the party.
"Dinakaran has brought bad name to the AIADMK founded by MGR and led by our beloved leader Amma," says Raghunanthan, an AIADMK cadre from Kancheepuram. "After Amma’s death we are like a headless chicken. I wanted to be with this party forever, but what is the road ahead for us? Who will lead us like our Amma?," asks Raghu.
But unperturbed by these developments and the public ire, the TTV camp is determined to fight. "I will answer if I get summons. I will face it legally. How does a broker or somebody say the money was from TTV Dinakaran? I don’t know anybody by name Sukesh. I haven’t come across any such name in my life," Dinakaran said. He said that efforts were being made to "destroy our organisation politically".
The speculation is that Dinakaran will soon seek anticipatory bail. But sources say the summons would reach Dinakaran either this evening or tomorrow. Despite the determination, what haunts the Dinakaran camp is the growing public anger. Sources within the party say that Dinakaran will be made to step down as there is fear that a few more MLAs, who have been supporting Edappadi K. Palanisamy as the chief minister, will defect to Panneerselvam camp, thus destabalising the government.
What the IPC sections and Prevention of Corruption Act say:
Section 170 in the Indian Penal Code
Personating a public servant—Whoever pretends to hold any particular office as a public servant, knowing that he does not hold such office or falsely personates any other person holding such office, and in such assumed character does or attempts to do any act under colour of such office, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Section 8 in The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
Taking gratification, in order, by corrupt or illegal means, to influence public servant.Whoever accepts or obtains, or agrees to accept, or attempts to obtain, from any person, for himself or for any other person, any gratification whatever as a motive or reward for inducing, by corrupt or illegal means, any public servant, whether named or otherwise, to do or to forbear to do any official act, or in the exercise of the official functions of such public servant to show favour or disfavour to any person, or to render or attempt to render any service or disservice to any person with the Central Government or any State Government or Parliament or the Legislature of any State or with any local authority, corporation or Government company referred to in clause (c) of section 2, or with any public servant, whether named or otherwise, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall be not less than six months but which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine.
Section 120B in the Indian Penal Code
Punishment of criminal conspiracy— (1) Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death, 2[imprisonment for life] or rigorous imprisonment for a term of two years or upwards, shall, where no express provision is made in this Code for the punishment of such a conspiracy, be punished in the same manner as if he had abetted such offence.
(2) Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy other than a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable as aforesaid shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding six months, or with fine or with both.
