DMK Liquor Minister V Senthilbalaji, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 14 June 2023, after conducting searches at his premises including his official residence on Greenways Road in Chennai and his office at the State Secretariat in connection with a money laundering case.
He was arrested for his involvement in a job recruitment scam during his tenure as the transport minister in the erstwhile Jayalalithaa government between 2011 and 2015.
After complaining of “experiencing chest pain”, he was taken to the Omandurar government hospital in Chennai for a medical examination early on Wednesday early morning.
He was seen crying while lying inside a car and kicking those who were trying to get him out of the car.
Many netizens pointed out wetness in his pants speculating that the DMK Minister urinated on getting arrested.
காலை எழுந்தவுடன் கிடைத்த நல்ல செய்தி😆😆😆
சாராய அமைச்சர் செந்தில் பாலாஜியை விசாரணைக்கு அழைத்து செல்லும் வழியில் கலைஞர் 🖤❤️ பாணியில் நாடகம்🤣🤣🤣
உச்சா வேற போய் இருக்கான் டா 😅😂🤣😁🫢 pic.twitter.com/BTUp8BDH3Z
— K.Ashok adv (@ashok777_kalam) June 14, 2023
ஆக…
கைது செய்யப்படும் போது எந்த ஒரு சங்கியும் "அய்யோ கொல்றாங்கப்பா" என்று கத்துவதும் இல்லை, பேண்டிலே உச்சா போவதும் இல்லை 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/3L3vL6hiNX— ஈன வெங்காயம் 🇮🇳 (@eena_vengayam) June 14, 2023
The speculations were confirmed by DMK MP TR Baalu who said that Senthilbalaji urinated in his pants when he got arrested.
“Senior Lawyer Elango after going inside and seeing him (Senthilbalaji) said that he is injured. We didn’t take it seriously then. After that Kannadasan goes, a member of State Human Rights Commission. He also says that he is injured. If you consider both of their statements, if you had seen on TV what had happened, he (Senthilbalaji) has passed urine in his pants. The urine stain is visible. If you watch it keenly, you can see the urine stain. There is urine stain in the pant, so we come to know that he has passed urine. When would he have urinated? It would’ve only happened when he was unconscious. So, that has happened.” DMK MP TR Baalu said at a protest meeting held in Coimbatore by “Secular Progressive Alliance” parties against Senthibalaji’s arrest.
He also went on to alleged that Senthilbalaji was subjected to extreme physical and mental harassment during the interrogation by ED officials.
TR Baalu stated that during the investigation, Senthilbalaji collapsed and fell to the ground. Upon lifting him, an ED officer negligently handled him, causing Balaji to fall once more and sustain an injury as his head made contact with the floor.
“When the authorities lifted him, an ED officer did so in a lethargic manner. Subsequently, Balaji fell once more, causing his head to make contact with the floor and resulting in an injury to himself.”, TR Baalu said.
He also questioned the need for conducting a raid at the prohibition and excise department’s office while the scam had happened when Senthilbalaji was Transport Minister in Jayalalithaa’s government.