‘We grant bail and next day you become minister!’: SC to Senthil Balaji

The Supreme Court, on Monday, December 2, expressed surprise about Senthil Balaji being appointed as a Tamil Nadu minister soon after he got bail in the cash-for-jobs scam case. Citing that this could lead to witness intimidation, a bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said that the court would enquire whether the witnesses were under pressure. The bench was hearing a plea filed by Vidhya Kumar, one of the victims of the alleged scam, seeking to recall the judgement that granted bail to Senthil.

“We grant bail and the next day you go and become Minister! Anybody will be bound to be under the impression that now with your position as a senior Cabinet Minister witnesses will be under pressure. What is going on?" the bench questioned senior advocate Siddhartha Luthra who appeared for Senthil.

Stating that the judgement will not be recalled, the bench further observed that the allegations against Senthil Balaji are serious and witnesses might be apprehensive because of his ministerial position. The court also made it clear that it will only look into whether the witnesses are under any pressure and not on bail order per se. 

The case has been posted for hearing on December 13.

Senthil Balaji was granted bail on September 26 by the Supreme Court after close to 14 months of incarceration, and he was reinstated as minister with his old portfolios – electricity, non-conventional energy, prohibition and excise. He was arrested in June 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged cash-for-jobs scandal when he was in office as minister for transport during the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government’s term between 2011 and 2015.

His bail plea was earlier dismissed twice – in September 2023 and June 2023 by the District Sessions Court and he was also denied bail on medical grounds once each, by the Madras HC and the Supreme Court.