Parliamentary elections were held in South Vietnam on 30 August 1959, resulting in an overwhelming victory for President Ngô Đình Diệm and the government.
However, during the first inaugural session of the National Assembly, Đán and another independent deputy, Nguyễn Trân were not permitted to attend and were arrested and charged with electoral fraud.
[3] Dan was regarded as a nationalist anti-communist who was one of the most able political figures in the country, and was elected by a 6-1 ratio over Diem's government candidate.
When the Assembly was inaugurated, Đán was confronted by police and put under arrest as he attempted to leave his medical clinic to attend the session.
[4] Đán was charged with electoral fraud, on the grounds that he supposedly offered free medical care to induce voters to support him.