Tamil Nadu: Jailed DMK Minister Senthil Balaji Resigns After Eight Months Of Arrest

Tamil Nadu: Jailed DMK Minister Senthil Balaji Resigns After Eight Months Of Arrest

Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji has resigned from his ministerial position, eight months after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Sources indicate that his resignation comes ahead of a bail plea hearing scheduled in the Madras High Court on February 14.

Balaji’s arrest last June under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) stems from a case dating back to 2014 when he served as the transport minister under the AIADMK government. The ED initiated the case based on allegations of corruption and cash-for-job transactions during his tenure.

Since his arrest, Balaji has faced legal challenges, including the rejection of his bail plea by a trial court. His case is currently being heard by Justice Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court, who criticised his continuation in the DMK cabinet.

Balaji’s resignation comes amid mounting legal pressures and the need to address the ongoing legal complexity surrounding his tenure.

Chief Minister MK Stalin, who had initially backed Balaji despite his arrest, has reportedly urged Governor TN Ravi to drop him from the cabinet. However, the decision to retain Balaji in the cabinet faced criticism, especially from the Madras High Court, which questioned the political implications outweighing public morality and good governance.

“Political compulsion cannot outweigh the public morality, requirements of good/clean governance and the Constitutional morality,” a bench led by Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala had said.

Balaji’s arrest by the ED followed a dramatic sequence of events, including hours of questioning and hospitalisation due to chest pain. The Income Tax Department had also conducted raids in connection with allegations of bribery during his tenure in the state transport department.

Despite repeated attempts, lower courts have denied bail to Balaji.