The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday arrested Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji for alleged cash laundering after questioning him for hours, individuals conscious of the matter mentioned. He was hospitalised after complaining of uneasiness. The hospital later mentioned the minister had been administered a coronary angiogram and had been suggested bypass surgical procedure on the earliest.
The arrest got here hours after chief minister MK Stalin slammed the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering’s ‘backdoor ways’ towards its political opponents; this was after the Enforcement Directorate launched raids at premises linked to Balaji – in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai, Karur and Erode on Tuesday – as a part of its inquiries.
Balaji’s official residence in Chennai and his workplace on the state secretariat had been among the many premises raided. The central company is anticipated to hunt custody of the minister after producing him earlier than a particular court docket later at this time.
READ | ED arrests Senthil Balaji in alleged job-for-cash rip-off. What’s the case?
TN ministers allege torture
In the meantime, information company Press Belief of India quoted one other TN minister – PK Sekar Babu – as claiming Balaji had been tortured. He cited TV visuals and claimed Balaji complained of being ‘uneasy’ whereas being hospitalised.
Babu instructed reporters Balaji had been admitted to an Intensive Care Unit.
“He was in unconscious and didn’t reply when (we) known as him by his identify. He’s underneath remark… there may be swelling close to his ear… medical doctors say there may be variation in his ECG [electrocardiogram]… these are signs of torture.”
State regulation minister S Reghupathy, who visited the hospital, questioned the necessity for raiding Balaji’s home continuous for hours.
READ | ED arrests Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji in cash laundering case
Udhayanidhi Stalin was additionally among the many cupboard ministers who visited Balaji within the hospital at the same time as central paramilitary personnel had been deployed there.
What’s the case towards Balaji?
The allegations towards Balaji date to 2011/15 when he was transport minister within the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led authorities. Crores of rupees had been allegedly taken from candidates in return for jobs that had been promised however by no means confirmed.
Balaji give up the AIADMK after former chief minister J Jayalalitha’s loss of life in 2016 and joined the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in December 2018.
In Could the Supreme Courtroom overruled a Madras Excessive Courtroom order and allowed the ED to proceed its cash laundering investigations into the alleged rip-off.
Balaji was arrested two weeks after the Revenue Tax (I-T) Division raided over 40 locations throughout in Tamil Nadu linked to the minister.
What did Tamil Nadu CM Stalin say?
On Tuesday, Stalin known as the ED’s raid on the secretariat workplace of Balaji a direct assault on the federal precept. “The BJP will study it the laborious manner quickly. The silence of people who find themselves watching the BJP’s low-cost acts of vindictive politics shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s nothing however the calm earlier than the storm of 2024 [national polls] that may sweep BJP away.”
READ | Stalin’s 2024 warning to BJP as TN CM meets Senthil Balaji in hospital
What has the Opposition mentioned?
Stalin’s Bengal counterpart, Mamata Banerjee, condemned the BJP’s ‘political vendetta’ towards Tamil Nadu’s DMK authorities and mentioned misuse of central companies continues whereas calling them unacceptable and determined acts.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described the raids as a type of the union authorities’s harassment and intimidation.
READ | Congress’ Kharge slams ‘vendetta politics’ after ED arrests TN minister
He mentioned such gross misuse of investigative companies towards political opponents has been the hallmark of the Modi authorities. These ways won’t silence the Opposition and ‘solely reinforce its willpower and resolve to proceed its democratic wrestle towards the anti-people insurance policies of the Modi authorities’.
What did Senthil Balaji say?
Balaji on Tuesday mentioned he was on his morning stroll when the raids started and added that needed paperwork had been submitted to the I-T division once they performed searches two weeks again.
‘Payback’ for airport lights error?
DMK chief RS Bharathi questioned whether or not the ED was focusing on Balaji since there was an influence reduce for quarter-hour when union dwelling minister Amit Shah was on the Chennai airport on June 10. He linked the raids to Shah’s go to to the state and added they’ve an ulterior motive.
Bharathi known as the raids additionally a diversionary tactic for the reason that BJP’s ally AIADMK was threatening to interrupt the alliance.