Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji, who is under treatment at a private facility, will undergo a heart surgery on June 21 in Chennai, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Tuesday. The Madras High Court on June 15 allowed Senthil Balaji, who was then undergoing medical treatment at a government hospital after his arrest, to move to a private facility, reported news agency PTI. Balaji has been advised a coronary bypass surgery. The private facility advised the surgery soon after his angiography results came in.
"Wednesday has been slotted for the surgery as it had to be done urgently," Subramanian said, reported PTI. He said Senthil Balaji was not aware of the "critical blocks" before he was diagnosed last week by the government doctors. On June 14, he had undergone coronary angiography and had been advised a bypass surgery at the "earliest", said Kauvery Hospital, which is treating him.
The Tamil Nadu Electricity and Prohibition and Excise minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) 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.
The Enforcement Directorate on Monday moved the Supreme Court against the order of the Madras High Court allowing Balaji to be shifted to a private facility. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, told the bench that Balaji is an influential minister and the high court has allowed his transfer to a private hospital, which could hamper the investigation.
The Solicitor General said the high court passed the order based on the remand order issued by the trial court, which said the ED can interrogate Balaji without disturbing his health and with the doctor's advice. The order renders the interrogation meaningless, he contended.