<p>Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji was on Monday shifted to the Puzhal Central Prison near here after he was discharged from a private hospital where he underwent a by-pass heart surgery last month. </p>.<p>This is the first time Balaji will be spending his judicial custody in prison as he was admitted to the Government Omandurar Hospital and later shifted to a private facility after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 14 in connection with a money laundering case. </p>.<p>Balaji was discharged on Monday evening and was immediately shifted to the Puzhal Central prison, according to rules. “He will be accorded ‘A’ class facility in the prison,” a senior jail official said, adding that he is entitled to the facility in his capacity as a minister (without portfolio).</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/ed-welcome-to-campaign-for-dmk-in-tamil-nadu-stalin-1237805.html">ED welcome to 'campaign' for DMK in Tamil Nadu: Stalin</a></strong></p>.<p>Balaji’s judicial custody was extended till July 26 last week and he will be produced before a local court on the said date. His discharge from the hospital comes three days after a third judge of the Madras High Court dismissed a habeas corpus petition filed by his wife S Megala questioning the ED’s powers to take him in police custody. </p>.<p>The third judge was appointed after a division bench delivered a split verdict. </p>.<p>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>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. The Governor’s action came after Stalin refused to drop Balaji from the cabinet, arguing mere registration of a case doesn’t make anyone guilty. </p>.<p>Stalin, while “disregarding” the communication from the Governor, said only the CM has the right to induct or dismiss a minister.</p>
<p>Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji was on Monday shifted to the Puzhal Central Prison near here after he was discharged from a private hospital where he underwent a by-pass heart surgery last month. </p>.<p>This is the first time Balaji will be spending his judicial custody in prison as he was admitted to the Government Omandurar Hospital and later shifted to a private facility after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 14 in connection with a money laundering case. </p>.<p>Balaji was discharged on Monday evening and was immediately shifted to the Puzhal Central prison, according to rules. “He will be accorded ‘A’ class facility in the prison,” a senior jail official said, adding that he is entitled to the facility in his capacity as a minister (without portfolio).</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/ed-welcome-to-campaign-for-dmk-in-tamil-nadu-stalin-1237805.html">ED welcome to 'campaign' for DMK in Tamil Nadu: Stalin</a></strong></p>.<p>Balaji’s judicial custody was extended till July 26 last week and he will be produced before a local court on the said date. His discharge from the hospital comes three days after a third judge of the Madras High Court dismissed a habeas corpus petition filed by his wife S Megala questioning the ED’s powers to take him in police custody. </p>.<p>The third judge was appointed after a division bench delivered a split verdict. </p>.<p>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>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. The Governor’s action came after Stalin refused to drop Balaji from the cabinet, arguing mere registration of a case doesn’t make anyone guilty. </p>.<p>Stalin, while “disregarding” the communication from the Governor, said only the CM has the right to induct or dismiss a minister.</p>