The Supreme Court on Monday (August 12) reserved its verdict on the bail plea of former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last year in connection with a money laundering case.
A bench of Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih heard submissions from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, and senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Sidharth Luthra, appearing for Balaji.
During the hearing, Mehta opposed the grant of bail to the DMK leader, arguing that the delay in the trial was due to the ex-minister’s actions.
Rohatgi argued that Balaji has been in jail for over a year with no prospect of the trial concluding soon. “The allegation was then that I am influential, but I am no longer holding the portfolio. I just had a surgery. What else is needed?” he said.
The high court, while dismissing Balaji’s bail petition, had noted that releasing him on bail in such a case would send a wrong signal and be against the larger public interest. It had instructed the special court to dispose of the case within a specific timeframe, stating, “Accordingly, there shall be a direction to the Principal Special Court, Chennai, to dispose of the case within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.”
The high court also mandated that the trial be conducted on a day-to-day basis in line with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court.
Balaji was arrested on June 14 last year by the ED in connection with a money laundering case related to an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as transport minister in a previous AIADMK government. The ED had filed a 3,000-page charge sheet against Balaji on August 12 last year. On October 19, the high court dismissed Balaji’s earlier bail plea, and a local court has also rejected his bail petitions three times.
