Balaji will be treated at the prison hospital, and later as per the advice of prison doctors, he may be shifted to a high-security block.
Published Jul 17, 2023 | 9:51 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 17, 2023 | 9:51 PM
Sources in the prison department told South First that Balaji will be treated at the prison hospital (Creative Commons)
Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji was shifted to the Puzhal Central Prison on Monday, 17 July, evening, after he was discharged from the Kauvery Hospital where he had undergone a coronary bypass surgery.
Balaji, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 14 June, was discharged from the hospital around 5 pm and was taken to the prison in an ambulance under heavy security. His discharge summary and medical records were handed over to the prison authorities.
A minister without a portfolio in the MK Stalin Cabinet, Balaji was provided with a prisoner number and admitted to the prison hospital, 33 days after his arrest.
Prison department sources told South First that Balaji would be shifted to a high-security block, if necessary, as per the doctors’ advice. Necessary arrangements have been made at the prison hospital and the minister’s health would be constantly monitored.
The ED arrested Balaji under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with a cash-for-jobs case. While being taken away, he complained of chest pain and was rushed to the Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital at Omandurar Estate in Chennai.
Minister Senthil Balaji being taken to Puzhal Prison. (Supplied)
On 15 June, he was remanded in judicial custody by the Principal Sessions Court and was allowed to continue his treatment at the hospital.
Meanwhile, Balaji’s wife Megala moved a habeas corpus petition in the Madras High Court and a division bench comprising Justices J Nisha Banu and D Bharatha Chakravarthy directed the minister be moved to a private hospital at his expense.
On 21 June, Balaji underwent a bypass surgery at the Kauvery Hospital. During his post-operative period, Balaji’s judicial custody was extended twice. The Principal Sessions Judge S Alli extended the custody via teleconferencing.
Meanwhile, the division bench of the high court gave a split verdict on the habeas corpus petition on 4 July. Justice Banu ordered to set Balaji at liberty, but Justice Chakravarthy differed.
In his order, Justice Chakravarthy directed: “Considering the fact that he has undergone surgery and he can continue to undergo the treatment at the Kauvery Hospital for a period of another 10 days from today or until discharge whichever is earlier. If he needs treatment even after the 10th day, the same shall be continued at the Prison Hospital, and his physician/surgeon can also visit him there and continue the treatment/follow up”
Following the split verdict, the case was entrusted to a third Judge. Justice CV Karthikeyan, who heard the case, concurred with Justice Chakravarthy.
Since Balaji has been shifted to prison, ED sources said that they would seek his custody in a couple of days.
Incidentally, Balaji was shifted to prison even as ED officials were searching the properties of Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy.
The case against Balaji dates back to November 2014, when the Metropolitan Transport Corporation advertised a recruitment drive to fill up various vacancies. Soon, allegations of corruption surfaced.
Balaji was then the transport minister in the AIADMK government. He joined the DMK only in 2018.
The first complainant was one Devasagayam, who claimed in October 2015 that he gave ₹2.6 lakh to Palani, a bus conductor, who promised his son a job in the transport corporation. Devasagayam claimed the conductor did not fulfil the promise nor returned his money. However, Balaji’s name did not figure in the complaint.
Balaji came into the picture when another man, Gopi, filed a similar complaint in March 2016.
The complainant said he had paid ₹2.4 lakh to two individuals, reportedly related to Balaji, for a conductor’s job. Gopi later approached the high court, accusing the police of inaction.
The court ordered the Crime Branch Assistant Commissioner to probe the case. The probe report, however, implicated only the 12 individuals mentioned in Devasagayam’s complaint. The report, submitted in 2017, excluded the minister and his relatives.
Meanwhile, more people came up with complaints. Transport Department employee V Ganesh Kumar alleged that the transport minister and three others had directed him to collect ₹95 lakh from job aspirants.
After he became a minister in the DMK-led government, his personal assistant Shanmugam and another man, R Sahayarajan, approached the victims with a compromise formula. However, the compromise move was seen as an admission of bribery, which caught the ED’s attention.
