Senthil Balaji arrest: Court hears pleas by DMK minister, ED; orders ...

Balaji was arrested early on Wednesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), in a cash-for-jobs scam allegedly involving him when he was the Transport Minister in the AIADMK government between 2011 and 2015.

The ED had launched multi-city searches in the state on Tuesday on the premises linked to the DMK's Karur strongman as part of the probe into money laundering. Later, they took him for questioning. 

After Balaji complained of chest pain, the ED brought Balaji to the Omandurar government hospital in Chennai for a medical examination amid tight security in the early hours on Wednesday.

Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital, Chennai, later informed Balaji underwent Coronary Angiogram process and bypass surgery is advised at the earliest.

Many DMK leaders, including Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, stepped up the attack against ED stating that Balaji was tortured and such long hours of questioning was completely unnecessary.

Stalin charged the ED officials of "enacting a drama" in the name of enquiry and accused them of "physically and mentally troubling" Balaji.

"They had pressured him to the point of him suffering a chest pain," Stalin alleged in a statement, hours after the ED arrested Balaji in a money laundering probe following raids at his premises and hours long questioning since Tuesday.

ED officials had done so till 2 am before taking Balaji to a hospital and he is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) right now, the Chief Minister added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Updated: 15 Jun 2023, 11:15 AM IST