SC adjourns former Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji bail plea till 6 May

Senior advocate Aryama Sundaram, appearing for Balaji, urged the bench to hear the matter and contended that he had been inside jail for 320 days.

The bench said it has not gone through ED’s reply in the case and posted the matter for hearing on 6 May.

The top court on 1 April sought a response from the ED on Balaji’s bail plea while issuing notice to the agency.

Dismissing the bail petition, the Madras High Court on 28 February said if he is let out on bail in a case of this nature, it will send a wrong signal and will be against larger public interest.

It said the petitioner had suffered incarceration for more than eight months and it would therefore be more appropriate to direct the special court to dispose of the case within a time frame.

The high court ordered that the trial shall be conducted on a day-to-day basis in accordance with the guidelines given by the top court.

Balaji was arrested on 14 June last year in connection with a money laundering case linked to a cash-for-jobs scam when he was transport minister during an earlier AIADMK regime.

On 12 August last year, the ED filed a 3,000-page charge sheet against Balaji.

On 19 October, the high court dismissed Balaji’s earlier bail plea. A local court had also dismissed his bail petitions thrice.

Also Read:  Senthil Balaji’s remand extended till 17 April

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