Former TN minister Senthilbalaji admitted to hospital after chest pain

CHENNAI: Former minister V Senthilbalaji, who is imprisoned at Puzhal Jail in a money laundering case, has been hospitalised after he experienced sudden chest pain on Sunday, as reported by Maalai Malar.

Senthilbalaji reportedly felt unwell after eating lunch and experienced chest pain. He was then taken to the Government Stanley Medical Hospital in Chennai.

After examination, the doctors at the GH recommended he be taken to the Omandurar Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital.

Senthilbalaji is now admitted to the Omandurar government multispeciality hospital.

The former minister was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement on June 14, 2023, at his residence in Chennai. The investigating agency had registered a money laundering case against him over an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in the then-AIADMK regime. The principal sessions judge remanded him in judicial custody on the same day.

On July 18, his discharge plea was dismissed by the principal sessions court in Chennai with the judge stating that the court would frame charges against him in the money laundering case on July 22.

Principal Sessions Judge S Alli had directed the prosecution to produce the DMK leader in person before the court today for framing of charges.

Senthilbalaji's judicial custody had also been extended till July 22.

The judge had also dismissed two other new petitions filed by the ex-minister. In one petition, he sought to send the "Relied Upon Documents No.16 and 17"-- certain bank challans, to the Tamil Nadu Forensic Sciences Laboratory for ascertaining its genuinity. In the other one, he sought to re-open the arguments in the discharge petition, on his side, which was closed in March this year.

(With PTI inputs)