EC bribery case: Fake RS ID card seized from middleman

Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has seized a fake Rajya Sabha member ID card from the alleged middleman in the Election Commission bribery case involving AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dhinakaran. Sukesh Chandrashekhar was arrested on April 16 here for allegedly taking money from Dhinakaran to bribe Election Commission officials to get the AIADMK's two leaves symbol for the Sasikala faction. The police seized a fake identity card with security features from Chandrashekhar. The investigators have started a probe to ascertain who gave the ID card to him, a senior police officer said. The police have added Section 467 (forgery of valuable security) of IPC to an FIR registered in the case, he said. The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and with the section being added to the FIR, the investigators will get 90 days to file a charge sheet in the case, he added. Dhinakaran had come under the police scanner after Chandrashekhar’s arrest. The leader was arrested here on the night of April 25 after he was questioned for four days on the trot in connection with the case. The Sasikala faction wanted to get the symbol for the bypoll to the R K Nagar Assembly seat in Tamil Nadu. The EC had, however, cancelled it after alleged irregularities were reported. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, who represented the constituency.