EC official bribery case: Sukesh Chandrasekhar's lawyer questioned by police

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Sunday questioned the lawyer of arrested middleman Sukesh Chandrasekhar in connection with the case of attempting to bribe EC officials involving AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dhinakaran.

According to sources, Chandrasekhar's lawyer, Gopinath, was present in the hotel when the former was arrested. He was questioned to ascertain whether he was aware of the deal between Chandrasekhar and Dhinakaran.

Pulkit, an alleged hawala operator, was also questioned to ascertain his role in the money trail from Chennai to Delhi, they said.

The police have sent Dhinakaran and Chandrasekhar's phones for forensic analysis.

The AIADMK (Amma) leader had told the police that the phone he used to communicate with Chandrasekhar got broken. His other phone has been sent for forensic examination.

Last evening, the Delhi Police's Crime Branch team, along with arrested Dhinakaran and his aide Mallikarjuna, returned to the national capital after finishing their Chennai leg of probe into the case.

During their probe in Chennai, the Delhi Police questioned several suspects and conducted searches at the residences of Dhinakaran and his friend Mallikarjuna.

Naresh, the alleged hawala trader who was arrested, was also questioned.

On the basis of today's questioning and the leads they have got so far, the police will decide whether they will push for extension of the police custody of Dhinakaran, Naresh and Mallikarjuna.

The trio's police custody ended today and the matter will come up for hearing tomorrow.

While in Chennai, the Delhi Police had questioned about a dozen people in connection with the case. The persons who were questioned include those who were suspected to have been linked to the money trail in the bribery case and others who had knowledge about the transaction.

Dhinakaran was arrested on April 25 in Delhi following four days of questioning for allegedly attempting to bribe an unidentified EC official to get the undivided AIADMK's 'two leaves' election symbol for his faction.

The police had earlier arrested Sukesh Chandrasekhar, who had allegedly struck a deal for Rs 50 crore to help the AIADMK (Amma) faction keep the two leaves symbol and seized Rs 1.30 crore from him.

A Delhi court had granted five days police custody of Dhinakaran following which he was taken to Chennai.