TTV Dinakaran was today remanded to five-day police custody by a Delhi court. (PTI)
AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dinakaran, arrested last night in connection with an Election Commission bribery case, was today remanded to five-day police custody by a city court.
Special Judge Poonam Chaudhary, who heard arguments on behalf of police and the defence counsel on the issue of permitting custodial interrogation, allowed Delhi Police to quiz Mr Dinakaran in its custody till May 1.
Mr Mallikarjuna, a longtime friend of Mr Dinakaran who was also arrested last night, has been taken on remand for five days.
The proceedings, which lasted 45 minutes, were not open to media persons, who were asked to leave the courtroom after the accused were brought in.
According to information gathered from lawyers who were inside the court, the police had sought seven-day custodial interrogation of Mr Dinakaran and Mr Mallikarjuna.
Police said the accused were required to be taken out of Delhi and confronted with co-accused Sukesh Chandrasekhar, also in custody, the lawyers associated with the case told PTI.
The plea for custodial interrogation was vehemently opposed by senior lawyer Vikas Pahwa, representing Mr Dinakaran, saying the accused has been joining investigation for the last four days and the police has not produced any material as to why his grilling in custody was needed.
Mr Dinakaran was produced in the court amid high security cover, with the police cordoning off the gallery outside the court room.
TTV Dinakaran was arrested by the police yesterday after four days of questioning for allegedly attempting to bribe an Election Commission official to get the undivided AIADMK's 'two leaves' election symbol for his faction.
Mr Mallikarjuna, who had been accompanying Mr Dinakaran everywhere ever since Mr Chandrasekar's arrest on April 16, was also arrested for allegedly facilitating the deal between the leader and Sukesh Chandrasekar, the middleman in the case.