Setback to Senthil Balaji, Madras HC Upholds Legality of Arrest and Judicial Custody

The Madras High Court on Friday upheld the legality of the arrest of Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the subsequent judicial custody granted by a lower court.

Justice C V Karthikeyan, the third judge assigned to the case after a split verdict by a Division Bench, ruled in favor of the arrest and custody.

A Division Bench of Justice Nisha Banu and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, had delivered a split verdict on the Habeas Corpus petition filed by Megala, the wife of Senthil Balaji.

While Justice Nisha Banu deemed the ED’s custody request as unauthorized and maintained the Habeas Corpus petition, Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy had a different opinion.

Balaji, who served as the Transport Minister during the previous AIADMK regime, was arrested on June 14 by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with a cash-for-jobs scam. Since then, he has been admitted to the hospital and has undergone a coronary bypass surgery.