After 14 months, SC grants bail to former DMK minister Senthil Balaji in money laundering case

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to former DMK minister Senthil Balaji in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate. The former minister was arrested by the central agency in June last year in connection with a cash-for-job scam while he was transport minister in erstwhile Jayalalithaa regime. 

Hearing Balaji’s bail plea, a bench comprising of Justices Abhay Oka and Augustine George Masih granted relief to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader, after imposing onerous bail conditions. The bench observed stringent bail conditions and delay in trial cannot go together, Live Law reported.

Senthil Balaji, DMK’s strongman from Karur, was arrested by ED on June 14 last year on charges of money laundering, allegedly for accepting bribe for providing jobs for aspirants in the transport department while he was handling the portfolio in the erstwhile AIADMK regime. The ED had raided his residence and office premises before the arrest. 

Balaji, who was the minister for electricity, prohibition and excise in the Tamil Nadu government was retained in the cabinet even after arrest, as minister without portfolio,  by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin hoping he might get released from prison on bail soon. Balaji had to tender resignation in February this year after Courts dismissed his multiple bail pleas.

Balaji’s continuance as minister was one of the flashpoints between Chief Minister Stalin and Governor R.N. Ravi. The Governor had on June 29 last year unilaterally dismissed Senthil Balaji with immediate effect from the cabinet. However, he had to reverse the action later.

The ED filed 3,000-page charge-sheet against Balaji in August last year. A local court has dismissed his bail petitions thrice. On October 19, the high court had dismissed Balaji's earlier bail plea, PTI reported.