Chennai: The officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), who took custody of Minister V Senthil Balaji, began interrogation in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged cash-for-jobs scandal within the State’s transport department when he was a Minister during the AIADMK regime.
Senthil Balaji was taken to ED’s Sastri Bhavan office in Chennai for interrogation last night.
Soon after he was taken to ED office for interrogation last night, sources say that he was given dinner and was allowed to sleep.
This morning, a team of doctors from Government Hospital visited him and checked his health. Following their permission, a team of ED officials visited Senthil Balaji at a room in the fourth floor of the office.
The Enforcement Directorate is planning to grill minister V Senthilbalaji with 200 questions (50 per day) during the five-day custody period regarding his alleged involvement in the cash-for-job scam when he was the transport minister during the 2011-16 AIADMK regime. The central agency is reported to have framed questions based on the seizures it made. In the video-recorded probe, the questions will be put to the minister in writing to which he will respond verbally, reports state.
Following the Supreme Court’s order permitting 5 days of custodial interrogation of arrested minister Senthil Balaji to ED, the Chennai Principal Judge granted custody of the minister to ED till August 12. The judge also rejected Senthil Balaji’s request for a medical check up at Kauvery Hospital once in two days during the custody.
Earlier yesterday, the top court dismissed the pleas filed by Minister Senthil Balaji and his wife Megala against the Madras High Court’s order regarding the legality of his arrest and custodial interrogation by granting ED custody till August 12, 2023.
Despite his arrest on June 14, Balaji, who continues his ministerial role without a portfolio in the Tamil Nadu government, and his wife contested the Madras High Court’s decision that upheld his arrest by the investigative agency. The arrest is connected to a money laundering case related to the alleged cash-for-jobs scandal within the state’s transport department.
Balaji and his wife argued in the apex court that once the 15-day period from the date of arrest has passed, the investigating agency cannot seek custodial interrogation as it is not permitted under the law.
The couple had previously challenged the authority of the ED in the Supreme Court, asserting that officials of the anti-money laundering probe agency are not considered police officers.
The ED took Balaji into custody based on an Enforcement Case Information Register (ECIR) filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in 2021.
The ECIR was initiated following three First Information Reports (FIRs) lodged against him by local police in 2018, accusing him of being involved in a cash-for-job scheme during his tenure as the Transport Minister in Jayalalithaa’s Cabinet in 2015.
