Senthilbalaji’s run for bail continues


After a special court and principal session court denied bail to Minister Senthilbalaji arrested by ED for cash-for-job scam, a division bench of the Madras high court also expressed its inability to hear the case. It instead, asked the minister’s counsel to approach the chief justice for necessary orders. Only the Chief Justice can decide the bench that can hear the plea, said a division bench of Justice M Sundar and Justice R Sakthivel on Thursday morning when counsel for Senthil Balaji made an urgent mention of the case before it. Last week, the ED submitted a chargesheet of about 200 pages and 3000 pages of documents related to the investigation in a sealed cover. ED said Balaji exploited his official capacity as the transport minister for personal gains. Reports say that ED in the chargesheet had said the then transport minister Senthilbalaji misused his official capacity and obtained pecuniary advantage by corrupt, illegal means and directly acquired the proceeds of crime which generated out of a criminal activity related to a scheduled offence, some of which he has laundered by depositing in his family and associate bank accounts.