A Sessions Court in Chennai recently refused to grant interim bail to Tamil Nadu State Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji.
The court further granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s request for custodial interrogation of the minister, who is presently receiving medical treatment at a private hospital in Chennai.
Judge Alli ruled that Balaji would remain in the care of Kauvery Hospital for medical purposes, permitting the ED to question him at the hospital. The judge allocated eight days for the custodial interrogation by the ED and instructed the agency to present Balaji before the court via videoconference on June 23.
Balaji, even though in the hospital, is technically considered to be under judicial custody following his arrest by the ED in relation to a money laundering case. The Sessions Court, while dismissing Balaji’s plea for interim bail based on medical grounds, stated that since the minister was already receiving appropriate medical treatment and considering the “seriousness and gravity of the offense” he is accused of, there was no grounds for granting interim medical bail in this particular case.
The ED arrested Balaji in connection with a cash-for-job case. Following his arrest, the minister complained of chest pain and was admitted to a government hospital, where he underwent a coronary angiogram on Wednesday. On June 14, Judge Alli personally visited the hospital to assess Balaji’s health condition and subsequently ordered his remand to judicial custody until June 28.
Subsequently, Balaji was transferred to Kauvery Hospital, a private institution, after the Madras High Court granted permission on June 15. This decision came after Balaji’s wife filed a Habeas Corpus plea before the High Court.
Senior Advocate NR Elango, responding to the lower court’s decision, mentioned that while Balaji has no objections to cooperating with the ED’s questioning, he intends to inform the High Court that the Principal Sessions Judge’s order granting custodial interrogation by the ED amounted to “judicial impropriety” since the High Court had specified that Balaji would remain under judicial custody.
The High Court is expected to further address the Habeas Corpus Petition filed by Balaji’s wife on June 22, 2023.
