Madras High Court Justice R. Sakthivel has recused himself from hearing a Habeas Corpus petition moved by Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji’s wife Mekhala. A day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids, Balaji's wife moved the Madras HC, saying that she had no information about Senthil's arrest. A division bench of Justice M. Sundar and Justice Sakthivel had agreed to hear the plea on urgent basis.
Though the exact reason for the recusal is not known yet, sources say it is because Justice Sakthivel hails from Karur, Balaji's home turf.
ED arrested Balaji under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), making him the first minister in the M.K. Stalin-led government to face such action from a central agency.
Balaji was arrested after a long session of questioning, official sources said, even as the 48-year-old minister was admitted to a city government hospital after he complained of uneasiness.
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Balaji underwent coronary angiogram at 10.40am today, a medical bulletin issued by the Director of the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital, Omandurar Estate, said.
He has been advised bypass surgery at the "earliest". "Coronory angiogram revealed triple vessel disease for which CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) - bypass surgery is advised at the earliest," it said.
'Political harassment, vendetta by Modi govt', says Congress
The Congress condemned Balaji's arrest, and alleged it was nothing but "political harassment and vendetta" by the Narendra Modi government.
"Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemns the late-night arrest of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Shri V. Senthil Balaji by the ED," the Congress said in a statement.
"This is nothing but political harassment and vendetta by the Modi government against those opposed to it. None of us in the Opposition will be intimidated by such brazen moves," it added.
"Such gross misuse of investigative agencies against political opponents has been the hallmark of the Modi government," the statement further said.
Party leader Amitabh Dubey said, "This is part of a long-standing pattern of the Modi government which is to misuse state agencies like ED, CBI and others to harass political opponents, put them under pressure and ensure that there is no level-playing field in Indian politics."
Dubey said figures clearly show that ED and CBI action against opposition leaders during the UPA was around 55-60 per cent, while that during the Modi government is around 95 per cent.
(With PTI inputs)
