The principal sessions court in Chennai has extended the judicial custody of former minister V. Senthilbalaji until July 8 in connection with a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Since Senthilbalaji’s judicial custody was set to end on July 4, he was produced before Principal Sessions Judge S. Alli via video conferencing from Puzhal Central Prison, Chennai. After recording his appearance, the judge extended his judicial custody.
Senthilbalaji was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on June 14, 2023, at his residence in Chennai. The PMLA case against him stems from an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in the AIADMK regime.
He has been under judicial custody since his arrest. Despite filing multiple bail pleas, both the sessions court and the High Court have dismissed them, resulting in Senthilbalaji’s confinement for over a year.
Additionally, Senthilbalaji has filed other petitions seeking to stay PMLA proceedings until the resolution of a pending case filed by the Central Crime Branch and to stay the judgment on his discharge petition. These petitions are yet to be resolved.
The extension of his custody reflects the ongoing legal challenges Senthilbalaji faces as investigations continue into the alleged corruption and money laundering activities associated with his time in office.