The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over the return of Tamil Nadu DMK leader V. Senthil Balaji as a minister, days after he was granted bail in a money laundering case related to the cash reward scam. agreed to consider the argument that gave rise to the Regarding the independence of witnesses in the case.
“We granted you bail, but it’s been a few days since you became a minister. With your position as a senior minister, everyone would think there would be pressure on the witnesses. What is going on?” the bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masi asked Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for Balaji.
However, the court refused to interfere with the Supreme Court’s September 26 order and granted bail to Balaji on a motion by one of the petitioners seeking its cancellation.
The court made it clear that it would not set aside the order as the law laid down by the Supreme Court benefited several other persons.
Justice Oka further said that the court would not issue any notice on the matter but would limit its investigation to whether the witness was “under pressure” to disqualify himself in the case.
“The concern is that given the seriousness of the charges against the second accused (Balaji) in the predicate offence, the witnesses may not intend to dethrone the second accused, who holds a ministerial position. .
“This is the only aspect on which we are prima facie inclined to consider the application, and while we make it clear that there is no reason to bar our judgment on the merits and judgment of the application, we remain limited to the aforementioned points. “There are,” the court wrote. In that order.
It then sought directions from Balaji’s lawyer Ram Sankar and posted the matter for further hearing on December 13.
The court noted that the latest plea filed by one of the petitioners, K. Vidya Kumar, is based on apprehensions that Balaji was appointed to the cabinet soon after being granted bail.
On October 25, the Supreme Court in another matter related to Balaji was informed that a petition had been filed seeking review of the bail order against the DMK leader in the case.
The Supreme Court granted bail to Balaji, who has been in jail for more than 15 months, noting that there is no chance of the trial being completed in the near future.
On September 30, the Supreme Court directed the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court to appoint another judge for the trial against Balaji.
Mr. Balaji, 48, was sworn in as minister by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on September 29 and holds the same key portfolios (power, unconventional energy development and prohibition) that he previously held in Stalin’s cabinet. and excise tax).
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had on June 14, 2023, arrested Balaji, who represents Karur Assembly constituency, in a case where he served as transport minister during the previous AIADMK government from 2011 to 2015.
On February 13, the Governor of Tennessee accepted Balaji’s resignation from the Cabinet. Balaji’s 471 days in prison ended on September 26 when the Supreme Court suspended his sentence.
Following the registration of three FIRs with the Tamil Nadu Police in 2018, and based on complaints from people affected by the alleged scam, the ED had in July 2021 moved money launderers to investigate the allegations. He was suing Ring.
The agency’s chargesheet alleges that the entire recruitment process in the Tamil Nadu Transport Department during Balaji’s tenure as minister was subject to a “corrupt chieftaincy” and that the fraud was carried out under his authority.
Mr. Balaji, a public servant, “abused” his position as Minister of Transport at the time to obtain financial benefits through corrupt and illegal means, and to obtain direct access to the proceeds of crime arising from criminal activities related to premeditated crimes. Authorities claimed that he had.
