The Principal Sessions Court in Chennai dismissed the plea of former minister V. Senthilbalaji, seeking to obtain original bank documents and challans related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against him.The court proceedings, presided over by Principal Sessions Judge S. Alli, involved three petitions filed by Senthilbalaji. These petitions requested access to original bank documents and sought to stay the judgment on his petition for discharge from the PMLA case. After hearing the arguments, Judge Alli refused to issue directions for the release of the bank documents and dismissed Senthilbalaji’s petition.
Furthermore, the judge has scheduled the hearing for the petition to stay the judgment on Senthilbalaji’s discharge petition for July 10, allowing time for further submissions.
Since Senthilbalaji’s judicial custody ended on July 8, he was presented before the Principal Sessions Judge via video conferencing from Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai. The court recorded his appearance and extended his judicial custody until July 10.
Senthilbalaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 14, 2023, at his residence in Chennai, under charges related to the PMLA. The case pertains to an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in the previous AIADMK regime. On the day of his arrest, he was placed under judicial custody by the Principal Sessions Judge.