Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Thursday, August 3, are conducting raids on the premises of persons linked to Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji in Tamil Nadu's Karur city. Senthil Balaji was arrested in June this year in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam when he held the transport portfolio during the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) rule. He held the Prohibition and Excise and Electricity portfolios under the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) rule before they were re-allocated, shortly after his arrest.
The searches are being conducted at the premises of the personal assistant as well as some of the close acquaintances of the minister.The ED officials reached Karur in the morning and are conducting searches at the residence of Shankar, the Personal Assistant (PA) to the Minister, a granite firm’s office and also a finance firm. According to sources in the investigation agency at Chennai, searches are being conducted at five places in the city.
The ED had conducted raids at premises of another acquaintance of Senthil Balaji on Wednesday, August 2, at Vedasandur in Dindigul district. The Income Tax department and ED officials had conducted raids on the premises of the Minister and his close associates including his brother Ashok Kumar in July. Senthil Balaji is currently lodged in Puzhal central prison after his arrest by the ED on June 14.