Who is V Senthil Balaji, the Tamil Nadu minister arrested by ED?

Politicians are generally considered thick-skinned, and it is rare to witness a politician sobbing profusely, especially in public. However, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji wept inconsolably on as he was taken to a hospital after complaining of chest pain.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji breaks down as ED officials took him into custody in connection with a money laundering case and brought him to Omandurar Government in Chennai for medical examination pic.twitter.com/aATSM9DQpu

— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2023

Senthil Balaji was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday (June 14) by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a central government agency, in a money laundering case. The corruption case dates back to 2011 when he served as the Minister of Transport in the All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government from 2011 to 2015.

Balaji hospitalised

Senthil Balaji complained of chest pain and was subsequently taken to Omandurar Government Hospital in Chennai, where he underwent a coronary angiogram. The doctors advised him to undergo CABG-bypass surgery as soon as possible, as the angiogram revealed a triple vessel disease. He is currently being treated in an ICU room.

State minister Senthil Balaji underwent Coronary Angiogram today; Bypass surgery is advised at the earliest: Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital, Chennai pic.twitter.com/UgGmMz6Wcd

— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2023

Who is Senthil Balaji?

He is a four-time MLA and hails from the Karur district of Tamil Nadu. Balaji began his political journey in 1997 as a local body member of the AIADMK and was elected twice as an MLA from the Karur constituency in 2006 and 2011.

In 2016, he was elected as an MLA from the Aravakurichi constituency and played a crucial role in saving the government after the demise of former Chief Minister Jayalalitha, when the party split into two factions.

However, in 2018, he switched over to the incumbent CM MK Stalin's Dravida Munetra Kazhagam (DMK) party. In the 2019 assembly elections, he was re-elected from the Aravakurichi constituency. He currently holds the Ministry of Electricity, Power, and Excise.

Why was he arrested by the ED?

Balaji was arrested in connection with a cash-for-job scam that occurred between 2011 and 2015 when he served as the Transport Minister in the AIADMK government. The minister, along with his brother and personal assistant, is accused of collecting several lakhs of rupees from individuals with the promise of securing government jobs for them as drivers, conductors, and technicians in the State Transport Corporations.

Based on these corruption allegations, the Central Chennai Police (CCB) had registered three FIRs against the accused individuals. The ED also registered a separate case against them under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and issued summons to the three accused.

However, in July 2021, the Madras High Court quashed the summons issued to Minister Balaji and two others. Subsequently, on September 1, 2022, the High Court quashed one of the three FIRs filed against Balaji but ordered the police to initiate a fresh probe against the minister.

Supreme Court overturns the HC judgment

Just eight days after the High Court judgment, the Supreme Court of India restored the corruption charges against Balaji and others, which had been quashed by the HC. "We hold that the High Court was completely in error in quashing the criminal complaint," said a bench of Justice S Abdul Nazeer and V Ramasubramaniam.

ED in action

The ED conducted raids at Senthil Balaji's premises on Tuesday (June 13), and on early Wednesday morning (June 14), and then arrested him. However, his sudden medical emergency prompted the agency to first take him to the government hospital, where he underwent a medical test after complaining of chest pain.

The DMK ministers who reached the hospital to check on Balaji said that the minister was tortured for over 24 hours by ED and the ED “will have to answer in court”, reported ANI.

Opposition calls it Senthi’s drama: The opposition party AIADMK has called it a drama staged by minister Senthil Balaji. “When our leader and former minister, Jayakumar was arrested, he was imprisoned for 20 days. He was not even permitted to take medicines. Senthil Balaji is doing drama now. As a moral responsibility, he should resign now,” LoP and AIADMK General Secretary, Edapaddi K Palaniswamy said.

When our leader and former minister Jayakumar was arrested, he was imprisoned for 20 days. He was not even permitted to take medicines. Senthil Balaji is doing drama now. As a moral responsibility, should resign from his minister post: Tamil Nadu LoP and AIADMK General Secretary… pic.twitter.com/MLYDKaSiiu

— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2023

Meanwhile, CM M.K Stalin made a visit to the Omandurar government hospital  to meet Senthil Balaji. It is also worth mentioning that despite being part of the AIADMK for several years, Balaji found acceptance in the DMK party and was given an important ministry by Stalin.