Chennai court wants TTV Dinakaran's presence in FERA case

A city court today ordered production of AIADMK (Amma) faction leader TTV Dinakaran before it from Tihar jail in New Delhi to face its proceedings in a FERA violation case against him.

Economic offences court-II Judge S Malarmathi issued a Prisoner on Transit (PT) warrant against Dhinakaran to enable Enforcement Directorate to bring him to Channai court from Tihar jail.Dinakaran has been lodged in Tihar jail following his arrest in a case involving his alleged bid to to bribe an Election Commission of India official to secure the AIADMK's two-leaves poll symbol for Amma faction of the party.

Dhinakaran is facing two cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against him for alleged violations of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) in 1994.

On April 19, the economic offences court had framed charges against Dhinakaran for FERA violation in the Dipper investment case in which he has been accused by the ED of transferring USD one crore illegally.

The second case pertains to the transfer of 44.37 lakh pounds through West Bank Ltd, Ireland, allegedly breaching FERA provisions.

As the Delhi police has arrested him in the alleged bribery bid case, he had not appeared before the court for framing of charges in the second case.

The public prosecutor for ED submitted details of his arrest following which the judge issued the PT warrant to enable the ED to produce him before the court on June 8.

The judge then adjourned the matter to the same date.

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

His faction hoped to obtain the symbol for a bypoll to the R K Nagar Assembly seat in Tamil Nadu which was later cancelled by the Election Commission (EC). He is in judicial custody till May 15.