CHENNAI: A 31-year-old lawyer from Thiruverkadu, who was accused in the 'Two leaves' symbol case, allegedly died by suicide on Wednesday. The lawyer, Gopinath, along with AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran and two others, was summoned to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi on Friday. The case pertains to alleged bribing of Election Commission officials to allocate the ‘two leaves’ symbol to the AMMK.
"On Wednesday, Gopinath's sister found him dead in a room opposite to his house. He had told his family about the ED summons, and went into the room saying he had work," said a police officer. The Thiruverkadu police registered a case of unnatural death and sent the body for a postmortem.
The police said Sukesh Chandrasekhar, an infamous conman, acted as an agent to TTV Dhinakaran to bribe Election Commission officials in Delhi. Dhinakaran's legal counsel Mohanraj and his junior Gopinath acted on his behalf in transferring the money, said the police.
Chandrasekhar was remanded in 2017 with TTV Dhinakaran, Gopinath, and Mohanraj. While the others were released on bail, Chandrasekhar was again arrested by the ED on Monday. Police sources said Gopinath, who was named as an accused in the chargesheet, turned a witness in the case.
The inquiry on Friday, for which he was summoned, would have been his first appearance as a witness. (Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu's health helpline 104 and Sneha’s helpline 044-24640050)