AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala leaves a resort in Kuvathur to Poes Garden. File photo: PTIChennai: Adding another spin to the ongoing but now-subdued power tussle in Tamil Nadu, the principal opposition party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has sought the Madras High Court's intervention on the allegation that the ruling All-India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) legislators were bribed ahead of a trust vote in the state assembly on February 17. The DMK also asked the court to order an Income Tax (I-T) department probe into the charge.
Making a special mention before the first bench comprising chief justice Indira Banerjee and justice M. Sundar, senior counsel R. Shanmugasundaram referred to reports in a section of media about the alleged pay-offs of crores of rupees to some MLAs for their support to the trust vote.
The counsel, appearing on behalf of DMK working president and leader of the opposition in the assembly M.K. Stalin, said they would like to file the miscellaneous petition now seeking a CBI and DRI inquiry into the alleged pay-offs.
Stating that a probe by the CBI and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence was very much needed, he sought leave of the court to file the miscellaneous petition in this regard.
Stalin's PIL challenging the trust vote is pending in the court.
Shanmugasundaram also told the court that the DMK had already questioned the manner in which the AIADMK MLAs were 'confined' in a resort and brought to the assembly for the trust vote.
Allowing the counsel to file the petition for the CBI and the DRI probe, the bench said it would be taken up in regular course for hearing on Friday.
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AIADMK deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran will meet chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) along with 33 MLAs loyal to him. This is Dhinakaran's first meeting with EPS after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked him on a charge of attempting to bribe Election Commission officials to obtain the 'two leaves' symbol of AIADMK for their faction.
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Rs six-crore worth gold
Video footage in circulation showed MLAs conceding that they were bribed by AIADMK (Amma) general secretary Sasikala to vote for the EPS government after a group led by former chief minister O. Pannerselvam (OPS) split with the party. The crucial revelations that could jeopardize the survival of the government were made by Sulur MLA R. Kanakaraj and Madurai South MLA S.S. Saravanan. Unconfirmed media reports said the MLAs were offered Rs six-crore worth gold.
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Saravanan admits that MLAs Thani Aras, Karunas and Tamimul Ansari took Rs10 crore to support the EPS government. He had fled the Kuvathur resort, 'taking a huge risk,' and joined OPS at a time when several MLAs were held 'captive' there by the Sasikala faction.
He said OPS offered a crore to the MLAs. Kanakaraj remains with EPS.
(With inputs from PTI)
