Money laundering case: Eight months after arrest, Senthil Balaji quits as Tamil Nadu minister

V Senthil Balaji resigned as a minister (without a portfolio) from the Tamil Nadu cabinet two days before the Madras High Court is set to hear Balaji’s bail plea on February 14.

Eight months after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), V Senthil Balaji resigned as a minister (without a portfolio) from the Tamil Nadu cabinet on Monday. “His resignation will be forwarded to the Governor,” an official in the government said on condition of anonymity.

The development comes two days before the Madras High Court is set to hear Balaji’s bail plea on February 14. His bail has been rejected by a trial court in the city previously and it is currently being heard by justice Anand Venkatesh of the high court who recently criticised his continuing in the DMK cabinet.

Read Here: ED arrests Senthil Balaji in alleged job-for-cash scam. What is the case? Explained

The ED had arrested Balaji last June 14 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) in a case dating back to 2014 when he was transport minister under the AIADMK government. Since his arrest he has been hospitalised for chest pains and subsequently underwent a heart surgery at a private hospital. He was discharged on July 17 and has since been jailed in the Puzhal central prison. Chief minister M K Stalin reallocated his portfolios (electricity, excise and prohibition) citing his ill health and not his arrest.

Stalin had continued to back Balaji even when Governor R N Ravi out of turn dismissed him from the Cabinet last June, only to put the decision in abeyance a few hours later and the ruling DMK said it was disregarding the Governor’s actions. Amidst mounting criticism, DMK leaders also said that he need not be disqualified since he has not been found guilty.

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