 "Who is Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji,")
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday arrested Senthil Balaji, the Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise, in a money laundering case, following raids and a marathon questioning session.
The investigation pertains to Balaji's alleged involvement in a money laundering case while serving as transport minister in the J Jayalalithaa-led All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government between 2011 and 2015.
What is Balaji charged with?
It has been alleged that Balaji accepted bribes to appoint drivers, conductors, and engineers in the transport department during his tenure as transport minister.
He was also accused of engaging in fraudulent activities by accepting money from people and failing to provide them with the promised employment opportunities.
As a result of the complaint, a case was filed in 2015 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Notably, the initial first information report (FIR) did not explicitly mention Balaji's name.
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Subsequently, a case was filed in the high court to include Balaji in the money laundering investigation. Following the high court's directive, the central crime branch police filed a chargesheet against Balaji and 40 others, including his brother Ashokumar, brother-in-law Karthik, and Transport Corporation officials.
Opposition targets Centre over Balaji's arrest
His arrest has not only enraged the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), with party chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin accusing the ED of staging a "drama" in the name of investigation but has also been condemned by Opposition parties including the Congress.
Shortly after his arrest, Balaji was admitted to the Omandurar government hospital in Chennai after complaining of chest pain. He was seen grimacing in pain while lying in a car as his supporters gathered to protest against the ED action.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji breaks down as ED officials took him into custody in connection with a money laundering case and brought him to Omandurar Government in Chennai for medical examination pic.twitter.com/aATSM9DQpu
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2023
Cabinet members who visited Balaji after his admission have also claimed that he displayed signs of torture.
Who is Senthil Balaji?
Balaji, born on October 21, 1975, hails from an agricultural family in Rameswarapatti, Karur district. He attended Rameswarapatti Government School, Vivekananda School in Pasupathypalayam, and Municipal Higher Secondary School in Karur.
Balaji began his political career at 21 and has been actively involved in politics since the early 2000s.
Balaji started his public service as a local body member in 1997. From 2011 to 2015, he was the transport minister in former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's cabinet. In July 2015, however, he was removed from the cabinet. He won the Karur constituency in the 2006 general elections while affiliated with the AIADMK. In the 2016 elections, he was elected as an MLA from the Aravakurichi constituency.
After Jayalalithaa died, Balaji was instrumental in keeping the government together. He sided with TTV Dhinakaran, the nephew of Jayalalithaa's aide VK Sasikala when the AIADMK split into factions.
On September 18, 2017, Balaji was one of 18 MLAs disqualified by then-speaker P Dhanapal for petitioning then-Governor Banwarilal Purohit to change the chief minister.
He joined the DMK on December 14, 2018, in the presence of Stalin. Soon after joining the party, he was appointed district secretary and later named the candidate for the by-election in the Aravakurichi constituency. He won his fourth term as an MLA on May 23, 2019.
Balaji is currently a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and the Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise.
