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The ED arrested Senthil Balaji on June 14 last year in a money laundering and job scam case
The Madras High Court on Wednesday heard Senior Counsel C Aryama Sundaram appearing for imprisoned Tamil Nadu former minister V Senthil Balaji in his bail petition in a money laundering case.
The Senior Counsel alleged that the digital evidence presented by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to assert charges of money laundering against Senthil Balaji is questionable. He claimed that hard disks and pen drives allegedly recovered by ED had been fabricated.
He asserted that the agency is saying that it will prove the authenticity of the evidence during trial but the same could not be accepted to keep the former minister inside jail.
He further contended that the amount that was alleged to have been illegally acquired by the former minister between 2013 to 2022 had been declared to the Income Tax Department and also the quantum of it was anyways below the minimum ceiling limit required to file a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (2002).
Therefore, contending that the agency opposed the bail plea on the basis of Senthil Balaji's influence as a minister, the Senior Counsel asserted that his resignation from the post now opens the possibility for relief, particularly given the completed investigation.
The bench of Justice N Anand Venkatesh heard the Senior Counsel at length and posted the matter for further hearing on February 15 i.e. today. Additional Solicitor General AR.L. Sundaresan is likely to argue on behalf of ED today.
The ED arrested Senthil Balaji on June 14 last year in a money laundering and job scam case.
Allegedly, when Senthil Balaji, who recently resigned from the post of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister, was serving as Transport Minister in Jayalalithaa’s Cabinet during 2011-15, a job racket took place where bribe was sought for jobs in the Metropolitan Transport Corporation. It is alleged that he had obtained money from third parties promising jobs in the Transport Department and thereafter cheated them.
Case Title: V.SENTHIL BALAJI VS DEPUTY DIRECTOR
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