3 Dinakaran supporters held for ‘distributing’ cash among voters

CHENNAI: Three women supporters of rebel AIADMK candidate TTV Dinakaran were arrested on Sunday for allegedly trying to “distribute cash” among voters in the bypoll-bound R K Nagar, bringing the focus back on misuse of money in the constituency.

The bypoll was countermanded in April this year after Dinakaran, who was then the candidate of the AIADMK, was accused of trying to bribe the voters.

Incidentally, the allegation was then levelled by the breakaway faction of the party led by O Panneerselvam, who has now joined the ruling faction and is the deputy chief minister. Dinakaran is ousted from the party.

Besides Dinakaran, AIADMK’s E Madusudhanan, DMK’s N Maruthuganesh and some independents are in the fray for the bypoll to be held on December 21. The seat fell vacant after the demise of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa last year.

Both ruling AIADMK and opposition DMK alleged that Dinakaran was distributing money and gifts to the voters.

DMK working president MK Stalin said already ₹100 crore was distributed among the voters. Madhusudhanan in a formal complaint to the Election Commission, sought a probe into purchase of pressure cookers worth ₹1.50 crore in just five days, alleging that these cookers were for distribution by Dinakaran, whose election symbol is a cooker.

Dinakaran supporters on the other hand alleged that the AIADMK gave ₹6,000 to all of the constituency’s two lakh voters.

They also staged a demonstration demanding the release of the women, saying they were arrested on false charges

Police said they seized ₹20 lakh from the trio. Dinakaran supporter and veteran MLA P Vetrivel said one of the arrested women, Selvi was just a ‘petty shopkeeper’ who had ₹10,000 with her.

Meanwhile a private channel aired a video clip wherein Vetrivel was seen taking out money from his bag and giving to one person. He was accompanying Dinakaran in the campaigning.