HC stays trial court order framing charges against Dhinakaran

In an interim relief to sidelined AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran, the Delhi High Court on Friday stayed a trial court order regarding framing of charges against him in a case of bribery involving the party's "Two Leaves" symbol.

Justice Sunil Gaur's interim order came while hearing Dhinakaran's plea challenging a trial court order which had framed charges against him under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court asked Delhi Police to respond to the plea and listed the matter for March 20.

Dhinakaran's aide Sukesh Chandershekar, T.P. Mallikarjun and B. Kumar were also charged with criminal conspiracy and bribery in the case filed and probed by Delhi Police.

The court discharged five other accused -- Nathu Singh alias Naresh, Lalit Kumar K. Shah, Pulkit Kundra, Jai Vikram Haran and Narender Jain -- observing that in the absence of grave suspicion, no charge of conspiracy can be framed against them.

Dhinakaran, now an independent MLA and heading the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), is accused of having tried to bribe Election Commission officials to get the "Two Leaves" symbol for the faction led by his aunt V.K. Sasikala after a split in the AIADMK following the death of Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

He was arrested on April 25, 2017 and granted bail on June 1, 2017. The bribe amount is said to be to the tune of Rs 50 crore.

The Delhi Police on July 14, 2017 chargesheeted Chandrashekhar for forgery.

Later, in December 2017, police filed a supplementary chargesheet in the case naming Dhinakaran, his long-time friend Mallikarjun, alleged middleman Chandrashekhar and others as accused in the case.

Police said a criminal conspiracy was hatched by Dhinakaran and others to bribe Election Commission officials.

--IANS

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