Chennai session court issues summons to Senthilbalaji's absconding brother in jobs graft case

CHENNAI: A sessions court in the city issued summons to minister V Senthilbalaji’s brother Ashok Kumar and others in the money laundering case connected to the alleged job racket scam.

On Tuesday, the city principal sessions court issued the summon to Ashok Kumar, who is absconding ever since his brother Senthilbalaji was arrested in the money laundering case booked by ED last year. The judge summoned Ashok Kumar to appear before the court on April 9 and adjourned the matter.

On January, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) filed supplementary chargesheet before the principal sessions court roping Ashok Kumar and 13 others in the alleged cash-for-jobs case. Upon perusing the chargesheet, the court issued the summon.

In 2015, several complaints were received at the central crime branch (CCB) against Senthilbalaji and his brother Ashok Kumar, alleging that they offered jobs for cash in the transport department for various posts, but after receiving money, they were not provided with any appointment as promised. The alleged incident happened under the previous AIADMK rule, when Balaji was a minister in the erstwhile regime.

The investigation agency filed the chargesheet after investigating found initial leads that Senthilbalaji had promised government jobs in the transport department for the exchange of cash as a bribe between 2014 and 2015, when he was the Transport Minister in the AIADMK government.

Senthilbalaji is on bail in the case, while his brother is on the run.