Two months after his release on bail, the Tamil Nadu Electricity, Excise and Prohibition Minister V Senthil Balaji seems to be in trouble again. The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Tamil Nadu government in a plea seeking to recall the bail granted to Senthil Balaji in a money laundering case linked to the cash for jobs scam.
Hearing a petition seeking the court to recall the bail granted to the minister, a bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih urged the Government of Tamil Nadu to give details about the cases pending against the minister and also the number of witnesses against him. The court also directed the Tamil Nadu government to distinguish witnesses as to the public servants and other victims who are required to be examined during the trial in the money laundering case against Balaji.
“We direct the added respondent to place on record the details about the criminal cases pending against Senthil Balaji. The state will also place on record the number of witnesses which are required to be examined in the cases. They will also state how many victims of the offences are witnesses and how many of the public servants who are witnesses,” the Supreme Court bench ruled. The case has now been posted for next hearing on January 15, 2025.
The Enforcement Directorate which has registered the case under PMLA against Senthil Balaji argued in the court saying that Balaji was released on bail only because he was not a minister and that he would not use his powers to influence the witnesses. “Reappointment of Senthil Balaji has cabinet Minister after his release has created undue pressure on witnesses. He had significant powers as minister without portfolio even when in jail,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued in the court while appearing for the ED.
Balaji was arrested on June 14, 2023 by the ED after a day-long search at his residence in a PMLA case linked to the cash-for-jobs scam. He was granted bail after 471 days by the Supreme Court on September 26, as he had quit his ministerial position and that there was no possibility of completion of trial soon.
Following his release he was appointed as a cabinet minister in Tamil Nadu. The ED and the victims in the case immediately approached the Supreme Court seeking to cancel his bail plea. Hearing the petition the Supreme Court on December 2, expressed surprise at Balaji’s appointment as minister.
