Current affairs

Senior TN Minister Senthil Balaji is hospitalized after getting arrested by ED: Here's what we know so far!

By alagu, 14 June, 2023
Senthil Balaji, DMK, BJP, Tamilnadu

Senior Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji has been hospitalized in Chennai after he complained of chest pain. He was rushed to the hospital after getting arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a job racket case. As the event has drawn a close scrutiny across the nation, the Tamil Nadu ruling DMK has strongly slammed the ED for harassing the minister and several opposition parties have followed suit in condemning the ED. 

The high-voltage events that unfolded in the dusk have made a splash and Senthil Balaji's hospitalization has come after intense raids by the ED at the properties connected to him. 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 Tamil Nadu 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. It has been reported that Senthil Balaji has been getting treated in the Intensive Care Unit. Our sources say that the minister needs to be in hospital for two to three days and he would also undergo angiogram procedure. His faction is beefing up preparations to approach the court to curb ED from arresting him. 

Since the morning hours of Wednesday - June 14, several DMK Ministers have reached the hopsital to inquire the health condition of Senthil Balaji and while addressing the reporters, the ministers said that Senthil Balaji wasn't able to speak and the doctors are treating him. The leaders of the opposition parties have come down hard on the ED and the central ruling BJP regime for executing such a clampdown against a minister.

The DMK leaders have also slammed the ED for not informing Senthil Balaji's family about his arrest. Senior leaders held a discussion with Chief Minister MK Stalin about the events and DMK has officially announced that it will go to the Madras High Court against ED's action on Senthil Balaji. They also have slammed the ruling BJP regime for rolling out a political vendatta against the DMK ahead of the 2024 general elections. 

What's the case against Senthil Balaji? 

On June 13, ED officials have stormed into the residences of Senthil Balaji in Chennai and Karur in connection to the money laundering case pertaining to the transport job scams while he was serving as the Transport Minister of Tamil Nadu during 2011-2015, during the Jayalalithaa-led ADMK reign. The ED officials have also conducted raids at the properties belong to Senthil Balaji's brother Ashok Kumar in Karur. 

Senthil Balaji has been accused of collecting bribes to the tune of crores from the people who sought jobs as conductors, drivers, and mechanics in the state transport corporation that was led by him as the Transport Minister. The money laundering case was first probed by the Central Crime Branch of Chennai Police and later, it was transferred to the central agencies. 

In May, the IT department had conducted raids at Senthil Balaji's residence and at the properties connected to him. The IT raids have lasted for a week and these searches have come after the Supreme Court ordered to continue the ongoing investigations against Senthil Balaji. The DMK minister has been under attack from the central agencies and the searches against him have fueled the political slugfest between BJP and DMK. 

Responding to ED's drive to arrest Senthil Balaji and his hospitalization, DMK Rajya Sabha MP NR Elango told ANI, "Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji was picked up by ED & brought to Omandurar govt hospital. It seems he was not conscious when he was admitted to the hospital. It is totally illegal and unconstitutional arrest. We will fight it legally."

After meeting the doctors at the hospital, senior Tamil Nadu Minister Sekar Babu said that the doctors have identified variations in Senthil Balaji's ECG and that he is being kept under observation. Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has hit out at the ED and alleged that the central agency has harassed Senthil Balaji. "DMK is not afraid of the Union government. We will initiate lawful action", Udhayanidhi Stalin added. 

 

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