Madras HC issues notice to ED on Senthilbalaji's criminal revision petition

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the criminal revision petition moved by former minister V Senthilbalaji challenging the principal session court's order dismissing his discharge petition.

A division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice V Sivagnanam heard the criminal revision petition moved by Senthilbalaji.

After reviewing the petition, the bench issued a notice to the ED and adjourned the matter to August 14 for further proceedings.

Former minister Senthilbalaji had moved a petition before the principal sessions court in Chennai seeking to discharge him from the PMLA case. However, the session court dismissed the discharge petition.

Challenging this order, Senthilbalaji moved the criminal revision petition in the High Court.

Senthilbalaji was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ED on June 14, 2023, at his residence in Chennai in connection with an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in the then AIADMK regime. According to ED, proceeds of crime worth Rs 67.74 crore have been found to nail him in the PMLA case.

Senthilbalaji has been in confinement for more than a year as the sessions court had dismissed his bail pleas and discharge petition.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday had adjourned hearing on the bail plea filed by Senthilbalaji till August 12 while asking the ED whether the trial against him in the money laundering case can go on without a conviction in the predicate offence probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the cash-for-jobs scam.

The former minister had sought bail on medical grounds claiming that he had undergone coronary bypass surgery and required medical attention and also questioned the evidence produced against him.

(With online desk inputs)