Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday said its searches at nine locations linked to Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji has led to the recovery of unaccounted cash and “unexplained property documents” of land parcels.
The raids were conducted in nine locations in Karur in western Tamil Nadu connected to Balaji, who is currently under arrest in a 2015 cash-for-jobs scam under the AIADMK regime when he was the Transport Minister.
ED initiated an investigation on the basis of three FIRs registered by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in Chennai, related to the cash-for-jobs scam.
During the investigation, intelligence inputs indicated that S T Saminathan, an associate of Balaji, possessed incriminating documents of the crime and attempted to hide or transfer them.
“Consequently, searches were conducted at his premises. It was discovered during the search that a relative of Saminathan, Shanti, was acting as his benami and was seen moving bags containing documents and valuables. Further scrutiny of CCTV footage and investigation revealed that the bags had been handed over to driver Shiva,” the ED said.
“During the search, cash amounting to Rs. 22 Lakhs and unaccounted Valuables worth Rs. 16.6 Lakhs along with unexplained property documents for 60 land parcels has been found and seized,” the ED said.
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 the cash-for-job scam. However, he was taken to the Government Omandurar Hospital after he complained of chest pain and later admitted to a private hospital where he underwent a by-pass surgery. He is now in Puzhal Central Prison.
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.
Stalin, while “disregarding” the communication from the Governor, said only the CM has the right to induct or dismiss a minister.