Today, On 10th June, Senthil Balaji’s plea seeking court direction to a bank in connection with an ED case is currently under consideration by a Tamil Nadu court. The prosecution presented Balaji before Principal Sessions Judge S Alli via video conference from Central Puzhal Prison. The court has extended the former minister’s judicial custody. The decision on Balaji’s petition has been reserved.
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu sessions court extended the judicial remand of Former state minister V Senthil Balaji until June 14, 2024. Balaji arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in June 2023 in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to a cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister under the previous AIADMK administration.
The court reserved its decisions on three petitions filed by Balaji, which extensively argued by both sides. Balaji appeared before Principal Sessions Judge S Alli via video conferencing from the Central Puzhal Prison in Chennai.
Despite resigning as the Electricity Minister in February 2024, Balaji continued to serve as a minister without portfolio until his resignation.
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This case highlights the ongoing legal proceedings against the former Tamil Nadu minister, with the court taking steps to ensure due process is followed. The extension of Balaji’s judicial remand and the reserved orders on his petitions reflect the complexity of the case and the authorities’ ongoing efforts to investigate the alleged money laundering activities.
In one petition, he requested that the proceedings in the case be postponed until City Union Bank provides the original counterfoils or challans used for deposits into his account and his wife’s account. In a separate petition, he sought an order directing City Union Bank, Karur, to supply a list of employees, including the clerk, cashier, and manager, employed from 2012 to 2022.
This request based on the Enforcement Directorate‘s heavy reliance on the counterfoils issued by the bank, labelled as ‘Relied Upon Documents (RUD) Nos 16 and 17,’ which allegedly show cash deposits made by him and his wife. In another petition, he sought an order for City Union Bank, Karur, to provide copies of the PAN cards of depositors related to ‘RUD Nos 16 and 17‘ for the period from 2016 to 2022.
Soon after his arrest, Senthil Balaji underwent bypass surgery at a private hospital. Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took him into custody for interrogation, after which he was placed in judicial custody. His remand has been periodically extended by the court. On August 12 of the previous year, the ED filed a 3,000-page chargesheet against Balaji.
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On October 19, 2023, the Madras High Court dismissed Balaji’s bail petition. His previous bail applications were twice rejected by the Principal Sessions Judge (PSJ). His third bail application also denied by the PSJ on January 12. The High Court dismissed his second bail application on February 28.
Additionally, his earlier petition to defer the trial dismissed by the PSJ on February 15.
The money laundering case against Balaji and his bail plea have faced multiple rejections in lower courts.