Former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in 2023, in connection with a money laundering case.
"We have granted bail with onerous conditions," a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said, pronouncing the judgment.
The court had on August 12 reserved the judgment in the matter, after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Enforcement Directorate, and senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Sidharth Luthra, for Balaji presented their arguments.
Rohatgi contended that the petitioner has been in jail for more than a year and there was no possibility of completion of trial anytime soon, and his client had also undergone a surgery.
He also said the allegations are that Balaji is influential, but now he is no longer holding the portfolio.
Opposing the plea for grant of bail by the DMK leader, Mehta said the delay in trial was attributable to the ex-minister.
Rohatgi said the case involved thousands of witnesses and there was no threat to any of them.
He also refuted the possibility of tampering of evidence.
Countering the submission, Mehta said petitioner's brother was absconding and there have been evidence to show that cash was deposited in his account.
He also claimed that the petitioner has been winning over the witnesses and the victims.
Mehta said mere incarceration of one year and a potential danger of delay in trial may not be good grounds to release him.
Balaji challenged the Madras High Court order, which dismissed his bail plea in October last year.
The High Court had said that he was likely to influence witnesses if enlarged on bail and also from the health report of Balaji, it did not appear to be a medical condition, which could be taken care of only if he was released on bail.
In June 2023, the ED arrested Balaji after a nod from the Supreme Court in connection with a money laundering case linked to a cash-for-jobs 'scam' when he was the transport minister during the AIADMK regime.