Supreme Court reserves judgement on bail plea of former Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji in money laundering case

During the hearing, Mehta opposed grant of bail to the DMK leader and said the delay in trial is attributable to the ex-minister.

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its judgment on the bail plea of former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in 2023, in connection with a money laundering case.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih concluded the hearing after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Enforcement Directorate, and senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Sidharth Luthra, for Balaji presented their arguments in the matter.

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 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.