Senthilbalaji played ‘pivotal’ role in job scam, claims ED charge sheet

CHENNAI: Minister V Senthilbalaji played a “pivotal and central” role, “exploiting” his official capacity as the transport minister for personal gains through corrupt and illegal means, the Enforcement Directorate’s charge sheet said.

The charge sheet, handed over to Senthilbalaji, one of the accused in the cash-for-job scam, details the modus operandi on how the then AIADMK transport minister and his brother Ashok turned the recruitment process into an illegal money spinning exercise, thereby gaining an unexplained amount over Rs 17 crore by them and their associates.

Senthilbalaji, now a DMK minister without portfolio, was arrested by the ED on June 14 in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam and is lodged in Puzhal prison. The scam is alleged to have taken place between 2011 and 2016, when he was the transport minister in the previous AIADMK regime.

“He directly acquired illicit proceeds resulting from criminal activities linked to scheduled offences and collaborated with co-conspirators, including his brother, personal assistants, and officials from the transport department to orchestrate a strategy,” it alleged. It said a paper sheet seized in the case stated that all the candidates, who applied and approached the minister and his PAs for recruitment got jobs illegally by way of “illegal gratification” derived by the minister.

“Therefore, it is crystal clear that V Senthilbalaji continuously and meticulously monitored and executed a job racket scam along with his PAs -- B Shanmugam and M Kartikeyan,” the ED alleged.

It said the plan for the alleged scam involved channelling cash through the minister’s brother (Ashok) and accomplices and this was supported by digital evidence found during the investigation. “These records outlined cash collections and job placements. Furthermore, the investigation revealed tampering in candidate marks, favouring those who paid bribes to the accused,” the agency said.

Investigation revealed that the driver’s posts were “priced and sold” for Rs 1.5 lakh, a conductor’s post for Rs 2 lakh, a junior tradesman’s post for Rs 5 lakh, a junior assistant’s post for Rs 7 lakh and an assistant engineer’s post for Rs 12 lakh.

The ED analysed the bank statements of Senthilbalaji and his wife S Meghala and found “huge cash deposits, especially during/after the period of the job racket scam in the MTC (Metropolitan Transport Corporation).”

It said some of the “proceeds of crime” were laundered by depositing money in the bank accounts of the minister’s family members and associates for use or projection as untainted money and thereby, he was knowingly and actually involved in the process or activity connected with the proceeds of crime and eventually, committed the offence of money laundering.

The ED filed a case of money laundering in July 2021 to probe these allegations and its complaint is based on three Tamil Nadu Police FIRs lodged and complaints from some of those who failed to get the promised jobs.

Bank statement analysis of key suspects revealed that there have been cash deposits of Rs 1.34 crore in the bank accounts of prime accused V Senthilbalaji and Rs. 29.55 Lakh in his wife S Meghala’s account. Further, there have been cash deposits of Rs 13.13 crore in the bank account of Ashok Kumar (Brother of V Senthilbalaji) and Rs 53.89 lakh in his wife A Nirmala’s bank account. Further, there have been cash deposits of Rs 2.19 crore in the bank accounts of B Shanmugam (PA to V Senthilbalaji). These cash deposits are huge compared to their incomes disclosed in income tax returns. Therefore, these huge cash deposits are nothing but part of proceeds of crime, which was brought into the financial system for the purpose of laundering, ED alleged.