TTV Dinakaran case: Hawala operator in police custody

TTV Dinakaran (File Photo)

An alleged hawala operator was sent to two days’ police custody on Thursday by a special court in the Election Commission bribery case involving AIADMK leader T T V Dinakaran. Special Judge Poonam Chaudhary remanded Lalit Kumar, alias Babu Bhai, in the custody of the Delhi Police crime branch till Saturday after the police said it was required for identification of other accused and for the recovery of a mobile phone which he allegedly used while communicating with the other accused.

According to the police, Lalit had allegedly handed over Rs 1 crore of unaccounted money to an unidentified person which was to be given to middleman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, who has also been arrested in the Dinakaran bribery case. Dinakaran has moved a bail plea which, the special judge said, she will hear on May 22.

The police had sought permission from the court to take voice samples of Dinakaran and Chandrasekhar. The court on Thursday said the application moved by the police was maintainable. It directed the investigating officer to take requisite steps to obtain consent or refusal to the test. Chandrasekhar had moved an application saying the police do not have a right to seek voice samples.

While Chandrasekhar had refused to give his consent, Dinakaran had sought a copy of the CD which allegedly has audio recordings of phone conversations involving him, Chandrasekhar and others. Dinakaran was arrested here on the night of April 25 after four days of questioning for allegedly attempting to bribe unidentified EC officials to get the undivided AIADMK’s election symbol.