Madras High Court while dismissing a PIL seeking to reject the nomination of AIADMK's V Senthil Balaji's nomination for the November 19 Aravakurichi assembly election in the wake of a FIR filed against him in a cheating case, directed the police to file progress report of the investigation in the case.
Rejecting the PIl by one Bhaskar seeking to reject Balaji's nomination, the High Court in its order today said "we are of the view that insofar as the electoral process is concerned, no interference can be caused merely because a FIR is registered against the person."
"Investigating agency to file progress report on the criminal case pending against Balaji which is pending before the Assistant Commissioner of Police, which is monitored by the Deputy Commissioner of Police of Central Crime Branch."
"We are not inclined to grant the relief as prayed for by the petitioner, but feel that we may see the progress of the investigation", the court said.
The petitioner who was working as Non-ITI staff from 1997 in Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Chennai was approached by several persons for getting employment as driver, conductor and Mechanical engineers.
He submitted that he handed over the amount to the tune of Rs 4.25 crores to through his personal assistants for the purpose of getting jobs to various posts in the Transport Corporation.
Despite the assurance given by Balaji, who was Transport Minister then, nothing was done, he contended. Hence he approached Balaji repayment of the amount.
But the Minister gave life threat to him and other poor candidates who were accompanied with him.
The Madras High Court gave a direction to police to take over the investigation and directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, CCB to monitor the investigation.
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