Minister Senthilbalaji’s absconding brother surfaces in court in job scam case

CHENNAI: After absconding for more than two years, Ashok Kumar, the brother of minister V Senthilbalaji, appeared before the court in the alleged cash-for-job case.

Kumar, the second accused in the job racket case, and twelve other accused, including Senthilbalaji, appeared before the principal sessions court, Chennai.

Special public prosecutor for the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) Rajnish Pathiyal submitted that the accused will be served with a digital copy of supplementary chargesheets and related documents as it runs over 5,000 pages.

The counsel for the accused objected to the submission and sought to serve the documents, including supplementary chargesheets, in hard copy so as to ensure the veracity.

The judge refused the contention as the new criminal law allows the prosecution to serve case papers in digital format as well. After recording their appearance, the court ordered the accused persons to execute a bond of Rs 2 lakh each and posted the matter to April 25.

In January, the ED filed a supplementary chargesheet before the principal sessions court, naming Kumar and 12 others in the alleged job scam case. Upon perusing the chargesheet, the court issued summons.

In 2015, several complaints were received at the central crime branch (CCB) against Senthilbalaji and his brother Kumar, alleging they offered jobs for cash in the Transport Department.

The investigation agency filed a chargesheet after investigating the allegation that Senthilbalaji promised government jobs in the Transport Department in exchange of cash between 2014 and 2015, when he was the Transport minister in the AIADMK government.

Based on the chargesheet, the ED initiated a money laundering probe and arrested Senthilbalaji in June 2023. Kumar went absconding in May 2023.