TTV Dhinakaran charged in Fera case, walks alone
Not only have AIADMK ministers dumped TTV Dhinakaran but also party cadres and his staunch loyalists have left him.
Chennai: Not only have AIADMK ministers dumped TTV Dhinakaran but also party cadres and his staunch loyalists have left him in the lurch. This was evident when Dhinakaran appeared before a trial court, Egmore at Allikulam without his usual convoy on Wednesday as the court framed charges against him in a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (Fera) case registered against him by Enforcement Directorate over two decades ago.
Only a few white clad men accompanied him to the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (EO-II), which was hearing the case. When matter came up for hearing before judge S. Malarmathy on Wednesday, his counsel sought adjournment as Madras High Court would pass an order on Dhinakaran's appeal only after 4 pm. The judge, who refused to adjourn the matter till evening, posted the matter to 3 pm.
When the proceeding resumed at 3 pm, his counsel prayed to the court to adjourn the matter as the senior counsel was not present in the court. Refusing to consider the plea, the judge said “it is not necessary to seek the opinion of Dhinakaran and of public prosecutor for ED while framing charges”. As his counsel repeatedly sought adjournment, the judge said, “allow me to conduct the proceeding. If you wish, get stay order from HC and then come here. Meanwhile, I will conduct the trial as per law”.
Dhinakaran denied all charges. He also denied that this was not a 21-year long case as he was discharged from it in 2015. After obtaining his signature on the charge sheet, the judge adjourned the matter to May 10. Dhinakaran was accused of exchanging huge sum of money through his Dipper Investments, Turnkey and Banyan Tree, British Virgin Islands. ED registered two cases against him for violation of provisions of Fera initiated in 1996 and 2001.
On Thursday, the court would frame charges against him in another case registered him by ED for illegally routing of 36.36 crore US Dollar and 1 lakh Pounds for starting a star hotel in UK. Meanwhile, Madras HC declined to recall its earlier order, restoring two Fera violation cases. Justice V. Bharathidasan made it clear for Dinakaran that the order could not be recalled since it did not suffer from any nullity. Pointing out that it might make a case for appeal, the judge said it could neither be reviewed nor recalled. Immediately, Jeenasenan, counsel for Dhinakaran requested the court to permit him to withdraw the petition. Accepting his request, the judge dismissed the petition as withdrawn.