Sessions court adjourns Senthilbalaji's plea and extends judicial custody

CHENNAI: A Sessions court in Chennai adjourned the hearing of jailed former minister V Senthilbalaji's plea seeking to discharge him from the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case and extended his judicial custody.

The discharge petition was listed before the principal session judge S Alli. Senior counsel Aryama Sundaram appearing for Senthilbalaji sought  an adjournment. After the request, the judge posted the matter to March 18 for arguments.

Subsequently, Senthilbalaji was produced before the judge from Puzhal Central prison through a video conference, as his judicial custody ended on March 13 (Wednesday). Recording the appearance, the judge extended the judicial custody till March 18.

Senthilbalaji was arrested under PMLA by the ED on June 14 at his residence in Chennai. The investigating agency registered the PMLA case against Senthilbalaji over an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in the then AIADMK regime.

On the same day, the principal sessions judge subjugated Senthilbalaji under judicial custody.

Subsequently, he underwent major surgery for the complaint of coronary artery blockage and later he was shifted to Puzhal prison. Later Senthilbalaji was produced before the Sessions court in Chennai on August 12 and the ED submitted a charge sheet of about 200 pages and 3000 pages of documents related to the investigation in a sealed cover.