Senior Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji, who is serving as the Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise, has been hospitalized in Chennai due to chest pain. He was admitted at the Omandurar Government Multi Super Specialty hospital in Chennai in the wee hours of Wednesday - June 14, after placing under arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to the job racket case. 

47-year-old Senthil Balaji has been getting treated in the Intensive Care Unit and he also underwent angiogram procedure. Several DMK leaders, including Chief Minister MK Stalin, had visited him at the hospital and alleged that the ED had harassed and tortured him to an extent that he could suffer chest pain. MK Stalin shared the first picture of Senthil Balaji in the hospital and asserted that the DMK won't fear such intimidations from the BJP regime. 

In the midst of the political slugfest between DMK and BJP over ED's raids and alleged crackdown against Senthil Balaji, the hospital has officially released its statement concerning the minister's health condition, in which it has said that the minister should undergo a bypass surgery at the earliest. In its statement, the hospital said, "Hon'ble Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise duty Mr Senthil Balaji, 47 years male underwent Coronary Angiogram at 10.40 am on 14.06.2023." 

"Coronary Angiogram revealed triple vessel disease, for which CARG- Bypass Surgery is advised at the earliest", the hospital added. According to our sources, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that the doctor of the central government owned ESI hospital has also suggested that Senthil Balaji must undergo surgery. The sources further say that Senthil Balaji will most likely be taken to Kavery Hospital and the bypass surgery will be performed on Thursday - June 15. 

On the other hand, sessions court judge Justice Alli has arrived at the hospital to inquire about the health condition of Senthil Balaji amidst a plea from his faction against the ED's drive to arrest him. While it was initially reported that the minister would be in the hospital for two to three days, the advice for bypass surgery would extend his hospitalization. 

The ED had conducted raids at Senthil Balaji's residences in Chennai and Karur on June 13, weeks after the Income Tax (IT) department have carried out similar searches. Unprecedently, the ED sleuths have also conducted searches at Senthil Balaji's office in the Chief Secretariat, which attracted a sharp flak from the ruling government. The searches lasted for 18 hours and came as the longest raid by ED against the ruling DMK government. After the raids, the ED officials told Senthil Balaji, at around 1,30 am on June 14, that he was under arrest.

However, around 2.15 am, Senthil Balaji was taken to the Omandurar Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital after he complained of chest pain. The visuals from the hospital have shown that the minister was lying down in a car and crying in pain. After meeting him, Chief Minister MK Stalin came down heavily on ED by alleging that the central agency had tortured and harassed him. In his statement, MK Stalin said that the BJP is taking revenge on the political forces who stand against it by using the ED.