Ex-Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji granted bail in cash-for-jobs scam case

The Supreme Court granted bail to former Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji who has been in jail since June 2023 over his alleged involvement in the cash-for-jobs scam case. He was the Transport Minister in the AIADMK government from 2011 to 2016 and faces money laundering charges related to this period and joined DMK, the current ruling party, in December 2018 under the leadership of MK Stalin.

For the third time now, the bail pleas of Balaji were dismissed by both the Madras High Court and the trial court. However, his lawyer, NR Elango, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, pointing to potential delays in both the predicate offence and Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) trials. Elango emphasised, “Bail has been granted on certain conditions – he should appear before the arresting officials twice a week, should not tamper with evidence or witnesses, and should surrender his passport.”

Why was Senthil Balaji arrested?

The ED alleged that between 2014 and 2015 V Senthil Balaji,  leveraging his official position, had conspired with the then managing directors of all State Transport Undertakings and other transport corporation officials to accept bribes from the candidates who sought appointments as drivers, conductors, Junior Tradesmen (JTM), Junior Assistants, Junior Engineers (JE) and Assistant Engineers (AE) in the transport corporation.

Former Minister Elango was taken into custody on June 14 after hours of questioning by the Enforcement Directorate. In the course of his detention, he complained of chest pain and was subsequently admitted to a Chennai hospital, where he underwent an angiogram. Doctors reportedly advised coronary bypass surgery “at the earliest.” Pictures of Balaji breaking down in the ambulance and later in hospital were widely circulated, prompting several DMK leaders to claim it as a victory and criticise the federal agency for what they thought was targeting opposition leaders.

Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, voiced strong condemnation against the ED’s actions, stating, “We will not be cowed by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s intimidation.”

The Supreme Court’s bail ruling comes as a relief for Balaji, who has vehemently denied all charges against him. As the legal proceedings continue, the focus remains on the potential impact of these developments on Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.

You might also be interested in – 22-year-old entrepreneur from Assam accused of Rs 2,200 crore financial scam