Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji was taken into custody from Puzhal prison by Enforcement Directorate on Monday. The move came after the Supreme Court granted custody to ED after dismissing the petitions challenging the Madras HC order which held the arrest of the Minister as 'legal'. The Minister was taken to the ED office from Puzhal prison, said a report on ANI.
The office of ED is located at Shastri Bhavan in Nungambakkam. The Minister was taken in a car and was guarded by CRPF personnel.
According to ANI, "ED officials took Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji from Puzhal prison to the ED office."
After Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji was taken from prison to the ED office, his advocate Bharani said, "I came here to give basic essentials to Senthil Balaji like soap, brush, and toothpaste. They didn't allow me to meet him. The officials got the things and checked them. They informed me that the items had been handed over. I didn't meet Senthil Balaji. I don't know about the enquiry. It was said yesterday that Senthil Balaji was under a two-hour enquiry."
On Monday, after Supreme Court's judgment, Chennai principal sessions judge granted custody of Senthil Balaji to the agency till August 12.
Around six ED officials reached the prison at around 6.10 PM and they waited for two hours before the prison officials formally handed over the Minister to them.
Around 8.30 PM, the ED officials left the premises, reported Times of India.
On Monday, Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji and his wife appealing against the Madras High Court's decision to uphold his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.
SC dismissed Balaji's petition and allowed ED to question him in custody.
Last week, the bench reserved its decision on a petition filed by Balaji and his wife appealing against the Madras High Court's decision. The High Court said habeas corpus plea submitted by Megala, Senthil Balaji's wife, was not maintainable under the law.
The High Court went on to say that time Balaji spent in a private hospital for medical treatment would be deducted from the term of custody allocated to the ED.