The Madras High Court, on Thursday, took a decisive stance by rejecting the bail plea of Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthil Balaji, who had been apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case. Justice G. Jayachandran, presiding over the case, firmly dismissed the bail petition, citing concerns that Balaji might tamper with witnesses due to his role as a minister in the state cabinet, albeit without a portfolio. The judge’s apprehension was further fueled by the fact that the minister’s brother remains at large in connection with the same case.
Amidst this legal battle, Balaji’s legal counsel pleaded with the court for his release, explaining that he is still in the process of recuperating from a recent bypass surgery and requires ongoing medical treatment.
The root of Balaji’s legal troubles can be traced back to his arrest on June 14 by the Enforcement Directorate, related to a money laundering case associated with a cash-for-jobs scandal that occurred during his tenure as the Transport Minister in the previous AIADMK administration. Shortly after his arrest, Balaji had to undergo a bypass surgery at a private medical facility. Following his medical treatment, he was taken into the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for questioning. After the interrogation phase, he was placed in judicial custody by a local court, with subsequent extensions to his remand. Presently, he remains in judicial custody.
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