SC dismisses TN Minister Senthil Balaji’s plea, grants 5-day custody to ED

The Supreme Court on Monday, August 7, dismissed the plea of Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji seeking release in the money laundering case investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Minister had previously challenged the Madras High Court (HC) order, which ruled that the ED has powers to arrest him. A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundresh dismissed the petitions filed by the Minister and his wife Meghala Balaji and allowed five days of custodial interrogation by the ED, starting Monday, August 7. The HC order was challenged based on legality of arrest and custody by the ED.

A two-judge bench of the Madras HC on July 4 delivered a split verdict in the habeas corpus petition filed by Megala Balaji. While Justice Nisha Banu ordered the release of the Minister, Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy differed. Later, Justice CV Karthikeyan was appointed as the third judge in the case, and on July 15, he upheld the arrest and also rejected the arguments on the illegality of the arrest. "The ED has been at his doors since June 13. He should have known why. He can’t claim innocence," the court said. Challenging the Madras HC order, Senthil Balaji and his wife approached the apex court.

Senthil Balaji was arrested by the ED on June 14, in a money laundering case in connection with the alleged cash-for-jobs scandal when he held the portfolio as Minister for Transport during the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) rule between 2011 and 2015. After he complained of chest pain during the arrest, he was taken to Omandurar government hospital and was subsequently allowed to be shifted to Kauvery hospital where he underwent a bypass surgery.

Following his treatment, the minister was shifted to the Puzhal central prison in Chennai where he was accorded the status of an ‘A’ class prisoner, and his health was also being closely monitored by the doctors at the prison. Senthil Balaji continues in the Council of Ministers in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s cabinet as Minister without portfolio.