Arrested TN Minister Senthil Balaji's Heart Surgery Completed, SC Refuses To Interfere With HC Order

Balaji, who is serving as the Electricity Minister in the DMK government underwent a coronary bypass surgery earlier today. He is stable and is being monitored by the team of doctors.

Arrested TN minister Senthil Balaji's heart surgery completed successfully

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to intervene with the Madras High Court order allowing Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji to be moved to a private hospital in Chennai and entertain a habeas corpus petition filed against his arrest. The plea filed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the High Court order will now be heard by the apex court on July 4, news agency PTI reported.

A Supreme Court vacation bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice M M Sundresh noted that the petition was still pending in the high court and asked the ED to approach that court.

"The observations made by the high court was in an interim order and any oral observation made by this court shall have no bearing on the case," the bench said while posting the matter for hearing on July 4.

The Madras High Court on June 15 had allowed Senthil Balaji, who was undergoing medical treatment at a government hospital after his arrest by ED to move to a private facility.

Balaji, who is serving as the Electricity Minister in the DMK government underwent a coronary bypass surgery earlier today. He is stable and is being monitored by the team of doctors.

"Senthil Balaji is hemodynamically stable and is being monitored in the postoperative cardiothoracic intensive care unit by the multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses," read the statement released by the Kauveri Hospital authorities.

Senthil Balaji has undergone bypass surgery. He is currently in the post-operation ward. I have been in contact with the doctors in the hospital: Tamil Nadu Minister Ma. Subramanian pic.twitter.com/PZ0QcsGUY5

— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2023

The Tamil Nadu Electricity and Prohibition and Excise minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam that took place when he was the transport minister in an AIADMK government led by the late J Jayalalithaa.

The high court passed an interim order after Balaji's wife filed a habeas corpus petition alleging illegal arrest.