CHENNAI: An apparent attempt by AIADMK rebel TTV Dhinakaran to ride the sympathy wave in the December 21 RK Nagar Assembly bypoll using a 20-second video clip of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa sipping ‘juice’ in her Apollo Hospitals bed last year, bombed as it created a huge uproar.
Hours after it was released by Dhinakaran’s election agent P Vetrivel on Wednesday, the Election Commission stopped its telecast, saying it breached the model code of conduct. Returning Officer for RK Nagar Praveen P Nair lodged a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Washermenpet, and a case was registered against Vetrivel under IPC Section 188 (disobedience of a public servant’s order) and Section 126 (b) of The Representation of the People Act.
“Neither the candidate nor his election agent obtained permission from the Media Certification Monitoring Committee. Since the video was released within 48 hours of polling, it is a model code violation. It warranted action under the RP Act too,” Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni said at the Secretariat.
The clip drew anger from a section of the jailed VK Sasikala clan as well. Dhinakaran had been bragging about having videos of Jaya in Apollo, saying he was hesitant to release them as she was in hospital attire. Sources said he intended to break his silence on the video after polling on Thursday.