PMLA case: Sessions court reserves order in Senthilbalaji’s plea seeking digital evidence

CHENNAI: A sessions court in the city adjourned a plea moved by minister V Senthilbalaji seeking digital evidence to cross-examine a prosecution witness in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case.

On Monday, the principal sessions court heard the application moved by Senthilbalaji seeking to direct the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to serve a cloned copy of the digital evidence.

Special public prosecutor N Ramesh on behalf of ED submitted a counter stating that as all the digital evidence connected to the PMLA case was submitted before the special court hearing cases related to MPs/MLAs, it cannot provide the evidence sought by the applicant.

After the submission, the court adjourned the hearing and observed that the order would be delivered on December 12.

The principal sessions court hearing the PMLA case booked against Senthilbalaji connected to the 2015 job racket case alleging that the minister received money from several individuals who were not provided with any appointment in the transport department as promised.

The ED arrested Senthilbalaji on June 14, last year. As the case has now reached the stage of examining the witnesses, Senthilbalaji filed the application seeking a cloned copy of digital evidence to cross-examine a vital witness of the case, Manivannan, the assistant director of the Forensic Science department, who handled the evidence secured by the CCB police.