TTV Dhinakaran used ‘illegal channels’ to send bribe money to Delhi: Cops

His close associate Mallikarjuna was also arrested.

Police had earlier said that Sukesh had struck a deal for Rs 50 crore for helping the AIADMK faction to keep the ‘two leaves’ symbol. Police recovered Rs 1.30 crore in cash from Sukesh when he was arrested from a five-star hotel in Delhi.

Dhinakaran has been arrested for arranging the amount from undisclosed sources and getting it transferred from Chennai to Delhi through illegal channels, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Madhur Verma.

Mallikarjuna has been arrested for assisting Dhinakaran for transfer of this money from Chennai to Delhi, he added.

Police were verifying whether Sukesh had approached any Election Commission official for getting a favourable verdict for Dhinakaran’s faction.

The leader had come under the scanner following Sukesh’s arrest from a five-star hotel here on April 16.

Dhinakaran, who was appointed deputy general secretary by AIADMK chief V S Sasikala, has been isolated in his party amid moves to merge rival factions led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami and his predecessor O Panneerselvam.

A powerful section of the ruling AIADMK (Amma) recently revolted against the Sasikala-Dhinakaran leadership. The development came after Panneerselvam, who is leading the rival faction, demanded the ouster of Sasikala and Dhinakaran as a condition for merger talks.