V Senthil Balaji.
Credit: Facebook/V.Senthilbalaji
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said an analysis of bank statements of Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji and his wife S Meghala has revealed huge cash deposits, while the agency has collected evidences indicating the utilisation of proceeds from the alleged cash-for-jobs scam when he was Transport Minister from 2011-2015 during the then AIADMK regime.
In a statement, the ED alleged that Balaji, who is currently lodged at the Puzhal Central Prison here, was being non-cooperative in the investigations into the alleged scam. Balaji was arrested by the ED on June 14, but was later admitted to a government hospital following complaints of chest pain. He was shifted to a private hospital where he underwent a bypass surgery.
The agency’s statement comes days after it filed a chargesheet against Balaji, who was also questioned by the ED for five days.
“During the course of investigation, V Senthil Balaji was confronted with the incriminating evidences but he failed to rebut the same and offer any plausible explanation, instead he remained non-cooperative and evasive during the investigation proceedings,” the statement said.
The agency said bank statement analysis revealed that there were huge cash deposits in the bank accounts of Balaji and Meghala, besides documents indicating the utilisation of proceeds of crime and establishing the nexus and modus operandi of the alleged scam.
ED initiated a money-laundering investigation on the basis of three FIRs registered by Central Crime Branch (CCB), Chennai.
ED said its investigation revealed that Balaji, the then Transport Minister, by abusing his official capacity along with his brother Ashok Kumar and his personal assistants entered into a criminal conspiracy with the then-Managing Directors of State Transport Undertakings (STUs) and other officers of transport corporations and obtained illegal gratification from candidates to recruit them.
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.