SC grants bail to ex-TN Minister Senthil Balaji in money laundering case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthil Balaji, who was arrested last year in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged cash-for-jobs scam.

Allowing the appeal, a bench presided over by Justice Abhay S. Oka said that onerous bail conditions had been put on the former TN minister in the order granting bail.

A detailed copy of the judgement is yet to be uploaded on the website of the apex court.

It is highly anticipated that Balaji will be reinstated to the state cabinet led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in the soon happening shuffle.

It may be recalled that the top court had earlier declined to pass any interim order staying the February 28 order of the Madras High Court, which had dismissed Balaji’s bail petition.

However, it issued a notice to the ED and sought the response of the Central agency within four weeks.

In its order, a bench of Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court observed that even if Balaji had resigned from his position as a Minister, he continues as an MLA belonging to the ruling party in Tamil Nadu and continues to wield a lot of influence on the state government.

The high court had asked the trial court to complete the trial within three months by conducting the proceedings on a day-to-day basis.

Balaji was arrested by the ED in June last year and has remained in judicial custody since then.

In November last year, the Supreme Court had declined to entertain Balaji’s plea seeking bail on medical condition remarking that it was not satisfied with his plea and that his medical condition could be cured with medicines.

IANS