Lookout notice against Karnataka home minister's aide

Probing the role of Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara's aide V.C. Prakash in the alleged attempt by AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dinakaran to bribe Election Commission officials, the Delhi Police have issued a lookout notice against him.

The police on Wednesday said Prakash, who was the deputy chairman of the NRI forum of Karnataka, is apparently close to the minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

"Prakash is a close aide of Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara. He is also found to be a close friend of Mallikarjuna, earlier arrested along with Dinakaran by police team on April 25. It is suspected it was Prakash who had helped Mallikarjuna for transferring the hawala money of Rs 10 crore in Delhi," a senior police officer said.

"Prakash is from Karnataka had shifted to Australia 20 years ago. He has been asked to join the questioning over assisting Mallikarjuna for transferring money through the hawala route," the officer added.

"He has been asked to join probe by Friday. We suspect that he might escape and that's why we have issued lookout notice against him. His statement was recorded once," the police official said.

On April 25, the Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested Dinakaran for trying to pay Rs 50 crore in bribes to the the poll officials through middleman Chandrashekar to ensure the "two leaves" poll symbol was allotted to the AIADMK faction led by Sasikala.

--IANS

sp/pgh/vt