Poaching plotters eyed many ruling party MLAs

CHENNAI: The accused arrested in the alleged plan to poach legislators from ruling TVK and those who put them up to the task targeted several MLAs, including two from Chennai, said police sources. The revelation has thickened the plot that has rocked the State politics that is already reeling under a series of developments involving MLAs resigning and joining the ruling party.

Meanwhile, finding himself in the eye of the controversy, influential DMK leader V Senthilbalaji’s brother RV Ashok Kumar moved the Madras High Court with an anticipatory bail on Friday. The court adjourned the plea to July 6 after the government advocate sought time to get instructions from the police.

Earlier in the day, reports quoting police sources claimed that the alleged plan to buy MLAs involved not only politicians but also a corporate entity, adding that the company had readied a war chest of Rs 180 crore to execute the plan. The accused arrested in the case were staying in star hotels in Guindy and East Coast Road to hatch the plan. Their stay in the star hotel in Guindy was paid for by a corporate company, reports claimed.

The accused contacted several MLAs, including one from a North Chennai constituency and another from South Chennai, said sources, adding that the targets were chosen after carefully studying their financial background to understand if they would be open to such enticements.

Their attempts came to light after Elaiyaraja approached Chennai police Commissioner, complaining that he was approached by a man, identified as Thirunavukkarasu, with the offer to pay him Rs 35 crore to vote against Tamil Nadu Speaker JCD Prabhakar.

After the city police alleged that the accused named Senthilbalaji and his brother Ashok Kumar, the latter moved an anticipatory bail petition claiming that he was falsely implicated merely on the basis of an alleged statement by the caller, without any independent material or specific overt act linking him to the offence.

He had never contacted the complainant, made any demand, issued any threat, or handled any money, but was dragged into the case only because he is the brother of Senthilbalaji, Ashok said, claiming this to be a politically motivated case ahead of the Karur bypoll.

When the matter came up before Justice C Kumarappan, public prosecutor R John Sathyan sought time to get instructions from the police, and the matter was adjourned to July