Chennai: Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji was wheeled into a government hospital here in the state capital during the wee hours on Wednesday after he reportedly collapsed while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) effected his arrest after the raids that went on for nearly 18 hours since Tuesday 7 am.
Arrested in cash for jobs 'scam'-Official sources said Senthil Balaji was arrested in a case lodged under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a questioning session which lasted for about 18 hours. The case pertains to the complaints of cheating by the Minister who has accepted cash for jobs when he held Transport Ministry during the previous AIADMK regime.
DMK chief and Chief Minister MK Stalin, his cabinet colleague and son Udhayanidhi, were among the DMK leaders who visited the Minister who was admitted to the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital where the ED officials brought him.
Read- Tamil Nadu: "Early" bypass surgery adviced for Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji arrested by ED
Stalin questions intent- The DMK president wondered why the central agency resorted to an inhuman act of pressuring him to the point of Balaji suffering a chest pain. He accused the agency of doing it deliberately holding a such a long probe even as the minister has assured full cooperation to the probe. Read more...
'Seen MISA, will fight'-Speaking to reporters, Udhayanidhi Stalin said that the DMK would not be cowed down by the browbeating by the ruling BJP. I came here to see him after I heard that he took ill. He was under sedation. I spoke to him. The DMK party will put up a fight. The BJP-ruled Union government thinks that it will be able intimidate us. It won't happen. We are a party which faced MISA (The Maintenance of Internal Security Act). We will face it, Udhayanidhi said.
'Tortured by ED'-Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister Sekhar Babu said Balaji who was in the ED officials custody was tortured during the raids. He is under observation for the anomaly related to the heart condition. "I called his name multiple times. But it did not elicit any response. He is still unconscious. There is a swelling near his ears. It suggests that he might have been physically tortured. Once he is awake, we will come to know he was tortured. At present, he is under medication and is under the observation of doctors."
Midnight high-drama-"Balaji complained of uneasiness in chest and was seen writhing in pain when he was being shifted to the hospital," according to a lawyer who was present at the hospital when he was brought to the hospital. Visuals from the hospital checked out this version. A group of lawyers was seen help Balaji roll into the stretcher. He was seen rushed into the trauma unit for emergency care.
Read- ED raids against TN Minister Senthil Balaji: Stalin slams BJP for 'backdoor intimidation'
