ED arrests Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji in jobs racket; vendetta politics, cries DMK

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 14

After a long session of questioning, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today arrested Tamil Nadu Electricity and Excise Minister V Senthil Balaji in Chennai under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam case.

• Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji was arrested by Enforcement Directorate in a cash-for-jobs scam case in Transport Dept
• 47-year-old DMK strongman becomes the first member in the MK Stalin-led Cabinet to face central investigation agency heat
• DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance to hold massive public meeting in Coimbatore on Friday in protest against the minister’s arrest

With his arrest, the DMK strongman becomes the first member of the MK Stalin-led Cabinet to face action from the central probe agency. The 47-year-old minister was admitted to a city government hospital soon after his arrest as he complained of uneasiness. He underwent coronary angiogram and was advised bypass surgery at the “earliest”.

Later in the day, a special court in Chennai sent him to judicial custody till June 28. In the meantime, a separate habeas corpus petition was filed in the Madras High Court for his production before the court.

Meanwhile, the DMK-led coalition in TN cried foul and attacked the BJP-ruled Centre for indulging in political vindictiveness. All anti-BJP parties, including the Congress, AAP, TMC, NCP, JD(U), RJD and SP, too criticised the ED action.

The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP hit back, saying it was Chief Minister MK Stalin who had levelled corruption charges against Balaji, when the latter was with the AIADMK.

Stalin, who had slammed the ED raids against Balaji on Tuesday as “intimidation politics”, today met his Cabinet colleague at the Government Multi-Super Speciality Hospital in Chennai. Stepping up attack on the BJP, he asserted the minister would face the case legally, and so would the party.

He charged the ED officials of “enacting drama” in the name of an inquiry and accused them of “physically and mentally troubling” Balaji. The DMK alleged that the arrest-related procedures were not followed properly in the matter.

The BJP state unit, however, sought to dismiss DMK’s charge that it was resorting to vindictive action, saying the ED move was part of an ongoing investigation into the cash-for-jobs scam allegedly involving Balaji.

TN BJP chief K Annamalai said the ED action was a culmination of a five-year probe into the scam.

Explaining the case details, Annamalai said the Supreme Court had allowed a police and ED probe into the matter recently. “That being the case, how is this political vendetta. Stalin and his alliance party leaders should explain,” he added.

Meanwhile, the constituents of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) also lashed out at the ruling BJP at the Centre and announced a massive public meeting in Coimbatore on Friday to protest against the arrest.

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