Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji’s wife Megala moved Supreme Court challenging the Madras High Court's judgment upholding Enforcement Directorate‘s right to take Senthil Balaji into custody in connection with the money laundering case. The Madras High Court recently held legal the ED’s arrest of Balaji and subsequent judicial custody granted by a lower court.
According to ANI, “Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji’s wife Megala has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Madras High Court's judgment in the money laundering case registered by Enforcement Directorate (ED)."
The High Court order came on the habeas corpus petition filed by Megala, wife of Senthil Balaji.
Earlier, Madras HC upheld that ED has the right to take Senthil Balaji into custody.
On July 14, Justice CV Karthikeyan of the Madras High Court gave the verdict. The case was referred to Karthikeyan after a split verdict by Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy and Justice Nisha Banu. Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy said that ED can take the Minister under custody.
Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy said, "HCP was not maintainable. The petitioner has not made out any case to hold that the remand was not valid. Senthil Balaji can continue to take treatment in a private hospital (Kavery Hospital) till he was discharged or 10 days from today, whichever was earlier. Thereafter he can take treatment in a Prison/government hospital."
Justice Nisha Banu who gave a split verdict held that the Habeas Corpus Petition was maintainable. However, the justice directed the police to set Balaji at liberty forthwith.