Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi sacks jailed DMK minister Senthil Balaji
Balaji in judicial custody amid the investigation against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case going back to 2014 when he was transport minister under the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) regime.
FollowIn an unprecedented act, Tamil Nadu Governor has dismissed DMK minister V Senthil Balaji from the state Council of Ministers. In a statement, Raj Bhawan said that the minister is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption, including taking cash for jobs and money laundering. "Abusing his position as a minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice. Currently, he is in judicial custody in a criminal case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate," the statement said.
"Some more criminal cases against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code are being investigated by the State Police. There are reasonable apprehensions that the continuation of Senthil Balaji in the council of ministers will adversely impact the due process of the law, including a fair investigation that may eventually lead to the breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the state. Under these circumstances, the Governor has dismissed Senthil Balaji from the council of ministers with immediate effect," the statement added.
Balaji is in judicial custody amid the investigation against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case going back to 2014 when he was transport minister under the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) regime.
Balaji, formerly a minister in the Transport Department, has faced allegations of accepting bribes from job seekers. In 2005, he was dismissed from the Cabinet by then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Subsequently, in 2018, Balaji left the AIADMK and joined the DMK party.
Within Chief Minister M K Stalin's Cabinet, Balaji held the position of a minister without portfolio. Initially responsible for the Electricity and Prohibition portfolios, these duties were later assigned to two of his colleagues.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Balaji on June 14, following his significant influence in the western region of Tamil Nadu. Although the principal sessions court in Chennai granted the ED eight days' custody starting from June 16, they were only allowed to interrogate him within hospital premises. Consequently, the enforcement agency appealed to the Supreme Court after being restricted in their investigation.
The Supreme Court did not grant a stay on the Madras High Court's decision to allow Balaji to be transferred to a private hospital. Instead, the court directed the ED to approach the high court regarding the matter. Meanwhile, the principal sessions court in Chennai extended Balaji's judicial custody until June 28. On Wednesday, Principal Sessions Judge S Alli further extended the judicial custody until July 12.
