The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji played a pivotal role, exploiting his official capacity as the then Transport Minister for personal gain through corrupt and illegal means. In its charge sheet, the ED has accused him of knowingly engaging in activities related to money laundering and handling the illicit proceeds of crime. Senthil Balaji was arrested by the ED on charges of money laundering on June 14, in connection with the cash for job scam in the Tamil Nadu Transport department. The scam came to light in 2015 when Senthil Balaji was the Minister for Transport in the previous AIADMK regime between 2011-2015.
In the chargesheet, the ED has stated that based on the evidence collected so far, Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji is found guilty of money laundering under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The Enforcement Directorate had filed the charge sheet against V Senthil Balaji in the special court on August 16. Senthil Balaji was physically produced before the Special Court hearing cases relating to MPs and MLAs of Tamil Nadu on August 28, and a copy of the ED charge sheet, which runs into 3,000 pages, was served to the DMK Minister.
TNM has accessed the key findings of the ED, mentioned in the charge sheet that has been filed against the jailed DMK Minister in which the ED accuses V Senthil Balaji of entering into a criminal conspiracy with co-conspirators, including his brother, personal assistants, and officials from the Transport Department. "Despite denying his connections with his assistants Shanmugan and Karthikeyan in his statement under PMLA Section 50, investigative findings decisively established his involvement and role. Evidence unquestionably demonstrates that the conspiracy to exchange cash for job selections, which the minister claimed ignorance of, was conceived and executed under his authority." Reads the charge sheet.
The charge sheet further adds that the then Transport Minister was aware of the crime and was involved in laundering the proceeds of the crime. "Proceeds of the criminal activities were then laundered, involving layering and integration into the mainstream through cash deposits and subsequent utilisation. Consequentially, the accused knowingly engaged in activities related to money laundering, connecting him directly to the process and the offence of handling illicit proceeds."
The bank statement analysis of key suspects revealed that there have been huge cash deposits, contrary to their income tax returns, the charge sheet alleges. "Cash deposits of Rs. 1.34 crore in the bank accounts of prime accused V Senthil Balaji and Rs. 29.55 lakh in his wife S Meghala’s account Further, there have been cash deposits of Rs. 13.13 crore in the bank account of Ashok Kumar (brother of V Senthil Balaji) and Rs. 53.89 lakh in his wife A Nirmala’s bank account. Further, there have been cash deposits of Rs. 2.19 crore in the bank accounts of B Shanmugam (PA to V Senthil Balaji). These cash deposits are huge compared to their disclosed incomes. Therefore, these huge cash deposits are nothing but part of the proceeds of crime, which were brought into the financial system for the purpose of laundering,” read the charge sheet.
On the day when searches were conducted at V Senthil Balaji’s official residence in Chennai, the ED says that the minister was non-cooperative. "V Senthil Baljai has completely not cooperated and behaved in an evasive and threatening manner. With no other option, in the presence of two witnesses, an attempt was made to record the statement of V Senthil Balaji, but he has not responded to any of the questions posed. He did not respond to any of the questions related to huge cash deposits in his bank accounts and his incriminating relationship with his Pas M Kartikeyan and B Shanmugam. Therefore, he has been completely non-cooperative during the summons proceedings."
During Senthil Balaji’s custodial interrogation, Senthil Balaji was asked to explain the source and nature of huge cash deposits in his bank accounts and his wife's bank accounts. He acknowledged that he and his wife had huge cash deposits in bank accounts. However, he did not provide any substantive reasons for having huge cash deposits and maintained that his income sources are from the salary he draws as an MLA and a minister and some agricultural income. During the interrogation, Senthil Balaji denied any links with his parents, Pas B Shanmuagam and M Kartikeyan.
The ED has heavily relied on the evidence gathered by the Chennai Central Crime Branch during the course of its investigation into the transport job scam and has included the documents that clearly establish the link between V Senthil Balaji and his accomplices.