SC asks arrested DMK minister Senthil Balaji to furnish his latest medical reports
Nov 20, 2023
New Delhi [India], November 20 : The Supreme Court on Monday asked DMK minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case, to furnish his latest medical reports for the court's perusal, while hearing his bail plea.
A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and SC Sharma asked senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who was representing Balaji, to submit the medical reports and posted the matter for hearing on November 28.
The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by Balaji challenging the October 19 order of the Madras High Court by which his bail plea was dismissed. High Court had said Balaji was likely to influence witnesses if enlarged on bail.
Rohatgi contended that Balaji is suffering from multiple ailments and referred to his brain MRI report to point out that if not treated he is likely to have a stroke.
The bench, however, observed this does not appear to be very serious and looks like an old problem.
The High Court while denying bail to Balaji had said from his health report it did not appear to be a medical condition that could be taken care of only if he was released on bail.
The Minister for Electricity as well as Prohibition and Excise, Balaji, was arrested on June 14 in connection with a money laundering case linked to a cash-for-jobs scam when he was the Transport Minister during an earlier AIADMK regime.
The ED had arrested Balaji in connection with an Enforcement Case Information Register (ECIR) filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in 2021.
The ECIR was registered on the basis of three FIRs lodged against him by the local police in 2018 for his alleged involvement in a cash-for-job case when he was the Transport Minister in Jayalalithaa's Cabinet in 2015.
The charges date back to his tenure as transport minister during the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government from 2011 to 2015.
He joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in December 2018 and assumed office as the Electricity Minister after the party came to power in May 2021.
