Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA and former minister V Senthil Balaji and his brother V Ashok Kumar failed to appear before the Triplicane police on Monday, July 6. They were summoned by the police for questioning in connection with the alleged attempt to bribe a TVK legislator.
The summons were served to the brothers through their family members at their residence in Rameswarapatti village in Karur district last week, directing them to appear before the investigating officer at 11 am on Monday. However, neither of them appeared for the inquiry.
According to reports, police would take the next course of action after consulting with senior officers and legal experts. If required, fresh summons could be issued.
Reports say that continued non-appearance despite repeated notices could lead to further legal action, including their arrest in accordance with the law.
A Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against the brothers also given to immigration authorities to prevent them from leaving the country.
Meanwhile, Ashok Kumar has approached the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail.
When the matter came up before Justice C Kumarappan on Monday, the Government Advocate, appearing for the respondent police, requested that the petition be listed before the single-judge bench dealing with cases involving MPs and MLAs.
The court directed the Registry to list the matter before the appropriate bench, preferably on July 8, and instructed the police to file their counter affidavit by then.
The case pertains from a complaint filed by the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Uthangarai MLA N Elaiyaraja, who alleged that he was proposed with Rs 35 crore to support a no-confidence motion against Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar.
According to the complaint, the alleged offer was aimed at securing his cooperation as a part of a bid to destabilise the government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
Based on the complaint, the Triplicane police registered a case under Sections 61(2)(a) (criminal conspiracy), 351(3) (criminal intimation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 8 (bribing a public servant) and 12 (abetment of bribery of a public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
So far, nine people have been arrested in the case, including YouTubers Thirunavukkarasu and Thiyagarajan of Medavakkam, Naresh of Trichy and six others.
According to the police, the investigation revealed that Ashok Kumar had met Naresh in Chennai and Thirunavukkarasu allegedly contacted Elaiyaraja on the instructions of Senthil Balaji and Ashok Kumar to make the alleged bribery offer.
