The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches on 13 June 2023 at 20 locations connected to Tamil Nadu Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise Minister V. Senthil Balaji, including his official residence on Greenways Road in Chennai and his office at the State Secretariat. These searches are part of an ongoing investigation into a money laundering case registered against the minister, allegedly for his involvement in a job recruitment scam during his tenure as the transport minister in the erstwhile Jayalalithaa government between 2011 and 2015.
Tamil Nadu | Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducts raids at the residence of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji as part of a money laundering investigation. Currently, raids are underway in Chennai, Karur and other places. pic.twitter.com/OQrXw3GSWO
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2023
The raids are being conducted at various locations in Chennai, Erode, Karur, and Coimbatore. In addition to Senthil Balaji’s official residence, ED officials are also conducting searches at his brother Ashok Kumar’s residence in Chennai, which is located near the minister’s residence, as well as his ancestral house in Rameswarampatti, Karur.
It is worth noting that the ED had previously sent summons to Senthil Balaji and his brother, but these were quashed by the Madras High Court in September 2022. However, on May 16, 2023, a Supreme Court bench comprising justices V. Ramasubramanian and Krishna Murari allowed appeals against the Madras High Court order. The Supreme Court directed the ED to continue its investigation into the charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The apex court also granted the state police a two-month period to complete their investigation and submit the final report. Earlier, the Crime Branch had registered three First Information Reports (FIRs) and three chargesheets related to the job recruitment scam, out of which one FIR was compromised. These cases were registered during the previous Edappadi K. Palaniswami government.
Upon the ED’s arrival at Senthil Balaji’s residence, the minister, who was out for his morning walk, informed the media that he would fully cooperate with the investigation. He stated, “I was on a morning walk with friends. As soon as I was notified about the searches, I immediately took a taxi and rushed to my house. I do not know what the ED is actually looking for in my house. But I will cooperate with the investigation. Be it ED or the Income Tax, I will fully cooperate with them,” Balaji told presspersons.
ED officials, accompanied by representatives from the Indian Bank, conducted a search of Senthil Balaji’s chamber in the State Secretariat, which lasted over three hours. Reliable sources within the ED have revealed that evidence linking Balaji to the job scam and money laundering has been discovered.
Last month, Income Tax officials conducted a nine-day search operation at the residences and premises of Senthil Balaji’s brother Ashok and his relatives. These searches were carried out at 40 locations associated with Balaji and his associates at that time.
Pointing out the old video of CM MK Stalin where he listed out the corruption charges of then ADMK minister Senthil Balaji while speaking in Karur district and, the TNBJP Chief Annamalai tweeted, “Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr. MK Stalin‘s long wish came true today. I urge the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to immediately remove Mr. Senthil Balaji who has been accused of corruption!”
தமிழக முதல்வர் திரு @mkstalin அவர்களின் நீண்ட நாள் ஆசை இன்று நிறைவேறியது.
தொடர் ஊழல் குற்றச்சாட்டுக்கு ஆளாகியுள்ள திரு செந்தில் பாலாஜியை உடனடியாக அமைச்சர் பதவியிலிருந்து நீக்க வேண்டும் என்று தமிழக முதல்வரை வலியுறுத்துகிறேன்! pic.twitter.com/GyQeKv3Edw
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) June 13, 2023
MK Stalin in the run up to the 2016 Assembly elections had made a blistering attack on Senthil Balaji who was then a Minister in the AIADMK.
“Senthil Balaji and his brother have the entire Karur district under their control in terms of looting, doing corruption, getting bribes. People living in Karur district are well aware of this. Kidnapping, land grabbing cases are in court. They had brought a ticket vending machine for state transport buses. I was the one to talk about the corruption in that deal with proof in the Assembly. There has been no rejoinder to that. Not just that, an engineering student named Gokul was kidnapped, given death threats, his properties seized. His family went to the court and the case is pending and today there is no clue about where Gokul is.”. Stalin had said.
It is notable that in the month of May, the Income Tax department carried out extensive raids at the homes of individuals associated with Senthil Balaji, including certain contractors. Prior to the search operation, Income Tax officials faced physical assault and were manhandled, resulting in the arrest of multiple individuals who were closely linked to Balaji’s brother, Ashok.
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