Senthil Balaji Case: TN Minister Sent To Judicial Custody Till Aug 25 Amid Money Laundering Probe

Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji was taken to Pulhal Central Prison after he was sent to judicial custody till August 25.

File Photo of Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji

Source : PTI

Chennai, Aug 12 (PTI) A court in Chennai remanded Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji on Saturday to judicial custody till August 25. He was arrested in connection with a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate. The ED produced him before a sessions court after the completion of its custody today.

Senthil Balaji was produced before Principal Sessions Judge S Alli who remanded him to judicial custody till August 25, news agency PTI reported.

After the order on his remand, he was taken to Pulhal Central Prison. A 3000-page chargesheet has been filed by the ED against the minister, news agency PTI reported sources as saying.

VIDEO | Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji being taken to Pulhal Central Prison after he was sent to judicial custody till August 25 earlier today. As per sources, a 3000-page chargesheet has been filed by the ED against the minister.

Balaji was arrested by the ED on June 14… pic.twitter.com/CMz7qMqaZM

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 12, 2023

On August 7, the court permitted the central agency to take custody of Senthil Balaji for five days to interrogate him in connection with a cash-for-jobs scam case.

The Tamil Nadu Minister was arrested in June in connection with the alleged scam which is said to have taken place while he was serving as a Transport minister in the earlier AIADMK regime. 

The ED also filed 168-170 pages of prosecution complaint, apart from annexures, arraigning Balaji as an accused, sources told PTI.

According to PTI's report, its sources said that the court is yet to take cognisance of the charge sheet filed under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED is learned to have brought on record various documents seized, purported cash receipts recovered, and the statement of the Minister that was recorded by it over the last few days in the charge sheet, the report mentioned.