On Monday, 28 August, the Special Court for cases relating to MPs and MLAs of Tamil Nadu served a copy of the Enforcement Directorate’s charge sheet to DMK Minister V Senthil Balaji, arrested in a money laundering case. Additionally, his judicial custody has been extended for another 18 days — till 15 September, 2023.
Special Judge K Ravi, before whom Balaji was produced physically by the jail authorities, served a copy of the charge sheet — running to about 3,000 pages including documents — filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier.
The ED had filed a prosecution complaint of about 3,000 pages that included more than 2,000 pages of annexures and 168-170 pages of operational documents, arraigning Balaji as an accused.
Also read: ‘Bank statements of Senthil Balaji, wife show huge cash deposits’
Bail application
Balaji submitted to the court that he had filed a bail application. Refusing to hear the bail petition, Special Judge Ravi said that he had no power to entertain a bail application since Balaji was arrested by the ED. He instructed Balaji to approach the Special Court that is designated to hear ED cases.
While so, Balaji mentioned to the judge that he was feeling numbness in his legs and could not stand or walk continuously and subsequently sought medical attention.
Following this, the judge instructed the prison authorities that it was not necessary to produce Balaji in person, next time, during the remand. He directed the officials to produce him via video conferencing.
Later, the minister was remanded back to Puzhal Central Jail.
On 12 August, the ED filed a prosecution complaint before a Special Court in Chennai, against Senthil Balaji and others for committing the offence of money laundering in connection with the “Cash-For-Jobs Scam” in the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations/Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai). The Special Court in Chennai had taken cognisance of the same, on the same day.
Also Read: ED denies arresting Ashok Kumar, brother of Minister Senthil Balaji
Contents of the charge sheet
The ED, in its charge sheet, stated that Balaji had “abused” his official position as the Transport Minister of Tamil Nadu, along with his brother RV Ashok Kumar and personal assistants B Shanmugam and M Karthikeyan. They said that he “entered into a criminal conspiracy” with the then-managing directors of state transport undertakings (STUs) and other officers of transport corporations.
The charge sheet claimed that the accused obtained “illegal gratification” from candidates to recruit them as drivers, conductors, junior tradesmen, junior assistants, junior engineers, and assistant engineers in the transport corporations.
“During the ED investigation, the bank statement analysis revealed that there were huge cash deposits in the bank accounts of accused V Senthil Balaji and his wife S Megala.”
Further, details of the bank transaction were also annexed to the charge sheet.
Also Read: Raids by ED on properties owned by Senthil Balaji’s associates
The incriminating evidence collected by the ED indicating the utilisation of proceeds of crime and establishing the nexus and modus operandi of the “Cash-For-Jobs Scam” was also mentioned in the charge sheet.
Balaji was arrested on 14 June in connection with the scam, when he was the Transport Minister in the previous AIADMK regime.
Surprisingly, Balaji, lodged in Puzhal Central Jail, continues to be a minister without portfolio in the MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government.
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