Senthil Balaji Should Not Be Granted Bail: ED to Madras High Court

DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji was arrested in June 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate in a cash-for-job case filed by the Central Crime Branch of Chennai Police.

Chennai (Tamil Nadu):The Enforcement Directorate (ED) argued before the Madras High Court that former Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Senthil Balaji should not be granted bail after he was arrested on June 14, 2023 in a money laundering case by the central agency.

He was apprehended in a cash-for-job case filed by the Central Crime Branch of Chennai, when he was the transport minister during the previous AIADMK regime.

ED sources said Balaji resigned from his ministerial post on February 12. The ED, in its statement, said, "Ex-minister Senthil Balaji, who complains that he has been imprisoned for a long time, is delaying the investigation of the case. If he is granted bail, he may intimidate the witnesses."

Balaji's brother Ashok Kumar, an accused in the case, is still absconding. ED said that Balaji stating that he edited the documents is false. Due to this, his bail plea should be rejected and the ED should order the case to be completed expeditiously, ED officials said.

As the case came up for hearing again in the Madras High Court on Thursday, arguments were made on the side of ED.

The ED has claimed that it has obtained all the documents with due permission from the special court.

The case has been adjourned to February 19 for Balaji's senior counsel Aryama Sundaram to file his reply. Meanwhile, the Madras Principal Sessions Court has dismissed Balaji's petition seeking to postpone the hearing of the ED case.