'Released Jayalalithaa Apollo video on TTV Dhinakarn order'

TRICHY/TIRUPUR: Former legislator M Rajasekaran has said the controversial video of Jayalalithaa undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospitals was released a day ahead of the R K Nagar byelection at the behest of his leader T T V Dhinakaran, reports Sambath Kumar.
"Dhinakaran asked us to release the footage," Rajasekaran told a gathering of T T V supporters at Musiri near Trichy on Thursday.

Dhinakaran had then maintained it was released without his knowledge.

Rajasekaran admitted that they had also issued 20 tokens as bribe to voters of R K Nagar, which TTV Dhinakarn eventually won by a margin of more than 40,000 votes.

When his speech kicked up a storm, Rajasekaran met reporters at a hurriedly convened press meet and refuted his own statement.

"Not all that I spoke in the meeting was true and the speech was misinterpreted by a section of the media," the former MLA said.

Kicking up a fresh storm, M Rajasekaran, a T T V Dhinakaran supporter, on Thursday said the video of former CM J Jayalalithaa undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospitals was released a day before the RK Nagar byelection at the behest of Dhinakaran who went on to win.

"Dhinakaran asked us to release the footage," the former MLA told a gathering of Dhinakaran supporters at Musiri near Trichy on Thursday evening. The footage was released by disqualified Perambur MLA P Vetrivel on December 21. Vetrivel had then claimed he was releasing it on his own and that neither Dhinakaran nor Sasikala was aware of it. But Rajasekaran said it was Dhinakaran who handed over the footage to Vetrivel to counter the poster campaign run by supporters of the AIADMK candidate.


"We suggested he release the footage of Amma undergoing treatment. Dhinakaran handed over to us the footage," Rajasekaran said. "He then gave the go-ahead to release it," Rajasekaran said. Rajasekaran admitted that they had also issued ₹20 tokens as bribe to voters of RK Nagar.

Later, after his speech led to the AIADMK and the DMK demanding action, the former Thottiyam MLA at a hurriedly convened press meet refuted his statement. "Not all that I spoke in the meeting was true and the speech was misinterpreted by a section of the media," he said. Dhinakaran too refuted the speech. Talking to reporters in Tirupur, Dhinakaran said Rajasekaran in his excitement to motivate the cadres made statements which were far from the truth.

Later, Rajasekaran reiterated to TOI that his statements were not factual.

(With inputs from Rajasekaran R K)