<p>Arrested Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji failed to get any relief from the Madras High Court on Tuesday with a division bench delivering a split verdict in a habeas corpus petition filed by his wife against the arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case. </p>.<p>Senthil Balaji, who is now a minister without portfolio in Chief Minister M K Stalin’s cabinet, was arrested by the ED on June 14 in a cash-for-job scam during his 2011-2015 tenure as Transport Minister in the then AIADMK Cabinet led by J Jayalalithaa. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/dmk-may-consider-browbeating-tamil-nadu-governor-r-n-ravi-over-senthil-balajis-dismissal-1232553.html" target="_blank">DMK may consider browbeating Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi over Senthil Balaji's dismissal</a></strong></p>.<p>However, Balaji complained of chest pain following which he was admitted to the Government Omandurar Hospital here. Days later, the minister underwent a by-pass heart surgery at a private hospital, where he is recuperating now. </p>.<p>In her verdict, Justice J Nisha Banu said the habeas corpus petition filed by Balaji’s wife Megala is maintainable and declared his immediate release from judicial custody. However, justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said he couldn’t agree with his senior judge, while maintaining that there was no case made out to show that Balaji’s arrest by the ED was illegal.</p>.<p>Since the judges delivered a split verdict, the matter has now been referred to Chief Justice Sanjay Vijaykumar Gangapurwala for appointment of a third judge to hear the case. Senior counsel and Rajya Sabha MP N R Elango, who appeared for Balaji’s wife, said status quo remains in the case as the court delivered a split verdict. </p>.<p>Balaji’s arrest by the ED also led to a major political controversy in Tamil Nadu with Governor R N Ravi "dismissing" him from the Council of Ministers, only to put on abeyance his decision within a few hours. Stalin, while "disregarding" the communication from Governor, said only the CM has the right to induct or dismiss a minister.</p>
<p>Arrested Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji failed to get any relief from the Madras High Court on Tuesday with a division bench delivering a split verdict in a habeas corpus petition filed by his wife against the arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case. </p>.<p>Senthil Balaji, who is now a minister without portfolio in Chief Minister M K Stalin’s cabinet, was arrested by the ED on June 14 in a cash-for-job scam during his 2011-2015 tenure as Transport Minister in the then AIADMK Cabinet led by J Jayalalithaa. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/dmk-may-consider-browbeating-tamil-nadu-governor-r-n-ravi-over-senthil-balajis-dismissal-1232553.html" target="_blank">DMK may consider browbeating Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi over Senthil Balaji's dismissal</a></strong></p>.<p>However, Balaji complained of chest pain following which he was admitted to the Government Omandurar Hospital here. Days later, the minister underwent a by-pass heart surgery at a private hospital, where he is recuperating now. </p>.<p>In her verdict, Justice J Nisha Banu said the habeas corpus petition filed by Balaji’s wife Megala is maintainable and declared his immediate release from judicial custody. However, justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said he couldn’t agree with his senior judge, while maintaining that there was no case made out to show that Balaji’s arrest by the ED was illegal.</p>.<p>Since the judges delivered a split verdict, the matter has now been referred to Chief Justice Sanjay Vijaykumar Gangapurwala for appointment of a third judge to hear the case. Senior counsel and Rajya Sabha MP N R Elango, who appeared for Balaji’s wife, said status quo remains in the case as the court delivered a split verdict. </p>.<p>Balaji’s arrest by the ED also led to a major political controversy in Tamil Nadu with Governor R N Ravi "dismissing" him from the Council of Ministers, only to put on abeyance his decision within a few hours. Stalin, while "disregarding" the communication from Governor, said only the CM has the right to induct or dismiss a minister.</p>