Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji Moves Court For Bail On Medical Grounds

This was the first time the Minister sought release on bail by citing medical grounds after the arrest by ED. 

Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji moved a petition with the Chennai Sessions Court seeking bail in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case. The Minister's counsel sought an immediate hearing of the bail petition but the bench did not take any decision regarding the urgent mention. This was the first time the Minister sought release on bail by citing medical grounds after the arrest by ED. 

On Tuesday, R. Elango, the counsel for the minister, appearing before Chennai Sessions Court judge S Alli requested an immediate hearing of the bail petition. However, S. Alli did not make a decision regarding the urgent mention.

The judge said that she would have to determine whether the Principal Sessions Court had the authority to handle it, said report on The Hindu.

The counsel submitted that the bail petition was moved on medical grounds and since the Minister was in prison for more than 80 days. The counsel also mentioned that ED questioned the Minister for eight days and even a chargesheet was registered in the case, reported Times of India.

The chargesheet prepared by the ED runs for about 3,000 pages. 

Earlier, the Special Court for MP/MLA extended the judicial custody of Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji till September 15. The Court also instructed the jail authorities to produce Balaji before the court on the said date. The Minister is currently being held at Puzhal Central Prison after being earlier taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate.

Notably, Balaji, who served as a Minister for Electricity and Excise in Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin-led cabinet, was arrested on June 14 in connection with a job-for-cash scheme by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He had a bypass procedure while on remand and was then transferred to the Puzhal Central Prison.