The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday summoned the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam General Secretary, TTV Dhinakaran, for allegedly bribing Election Commission officials in 2017, reported PTI.

He has been asked to appear before the central agency on April 8. His statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Dhinakaran allegedly sought the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s ‘two leaves’ symbol for his aunt, VK Sasikala’s faction during the 2017 bye-election to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s Assembly seat.

The party had split into two factions in 2016, one led by Sasikala and another led by former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. Both the factions had staked a claim on the ‘two leaves’ symbol, following which the Election Commission had frozen it.

On April 26, 2017, the police had arrested Dhinakaran for bribing the Election Commission officials to get the ‘two leaves’ symbol. Two weeks before his arrest, the police had apprehended middleman Sukesh Chandrashekhar for allegedly taking money from Dhinakaran to bribe the Election Commission officials.

Chandrasekhar’s statement was recorded by the Enforcement Directorate in April.

Dhinakaran was the treasurer of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam until he was expelled from the party in August 2017, along with his aunt Sasikala. In 2018, Dhinakaran formed his Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.