AIADMK Officials Released After Five-Hour Questioning in Dharapuram Cash Probe

Police in Dharapuram interrogated AIADMK district secretary Selvakumar and another official for about five hours over the alleged transport of ₹70 lakh in cash, prompting over 500 party workers to gather and protest outside the station. AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran then arrived personally to negotiate, and the officials were subsequently released. The questioning followed a vehicle check near Aravakurichi in Karur district, where police said a man named Subramani claimed he was transporting the money on the instructions of Selvakumar. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami condemned the detention, and former minister R.P. Udhayakumar also arrived to protest, with workers blocking the Dharapuram-Karur road. After the release, AIADMK workers celebrated by bursting firecrackers, with some rockets flying into the police station. Dhinakaran took Selvakumar in his own campaign vehicle. The incident occurred as campaigning ended for the October 6 by-elections in Dharapuram and Madurantakam, with the ruling TVK and DMK also intensifying their final efforts.