Tamil Nadu: 3 arrested for offering Rs 35 crore bribe to TVK MLA
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Tamil Nadu: 3 arrested for offering Rs 35 crore bribe to TVK MLA")
TVK MLA Dr Ilaiyaraja complained to the police after he and his family were threatened when he refused the bribe offer. Photograph: (AFP)
Police said links have emerged between DMK leader and Coimbatore South MLA Senthil Balaji, his brother Ashok Kumar, and the arrested Naresh. Ashok Kumar had met Naresh in Chennai, and Thirunavukkarasu contacted the TVK MLA on alleged instructions of DMK leader Senthil Balaji and his brother.
Tamil Nadu Police have made three arrests in a case where an individual allegedly attempted to offer a bribe of Rs 35 crore ($3.7 million) to an elected representative of the ruling Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK). The bribe offer is said to have been made to get the MLA to vote as per their instructions during a proposed no-confidence motion against the Assembly Speaker. The MLA complained to the police after he and his family were allegedly threatened, as he refused to engage with those who approached him.
According to the police, an individual by the name of Thirunavukarasu had reached out over the phone to Dr. Ilaiyaraja, who is TVK’s MLA from the Uthangarai constituency. It is said that Thirunavukarasu mentioned that he represented an opinion polling entity, Indian Political Democratic Strategies (IPDS), and was reaching out to the MLA on behalf of those from an important political party. The said individual also sought an opportunity to meet the MLA, but the MLA avoided further contact by citing other commitments.
Thirunavukarasu is said to have contacted the MLA Ilaiyaraja again and informed him about a proposed no-confidence motion against the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker. During their conversation, the MLA was allegedly offered a bribe of Rs 35 crore to vote as per certain instructions that would be issued to him. Shocked by this offer, the MLA is said to have responded sternly and asked Thirunavukkarasu not to contact him again. Further, Thirunavukkarasu is said to have threatened the MLA and his family if he revealed details of their conversation.
Based on this, the MLA had filed a complaint with the Chennai Police against Thirunavukkarasu and his backers. After investigation, police arrested three individuals: Thirunavukkarasu, Naresh, and Thyagarajan.
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Police said that links have emerged between DMK leader and Coimbatore South MLA Senthil Balaji, Balaji’s brother Ashok Kumar, and the arrested individual, Naresh. Police said that Ashok Kumar had met Naresh in Chennai and that Thirunavukkarasu had contacted the TVK MLA based on alleged instructions from DMK leader Senthil Balaji and his brother. Further investigation is underway, police said.
