Senthil Balaji, wife move Supreme Court challenging Madras High ...

Effectively, Justice Karthikeyan concurred with the earlier opinion expressed by Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy on the question of whether Balaji could be released.

The case against Balaji stemmed from alleged irregularities in the appointment of bus conductors in the State transport department, as well as the appointment of drivers and junior engineers.

All of these appointments were made during Balaji's tenure as the Transport Minister in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government between 2011 and 2015.

Following his remand by a sessions court, Balaji was placed under judicial custody. However, instead of being sent to prison, he was eventually transferred to a private hospital where he underwent bypass surgery.

Meanwhile, his wife filed a habeas corpus petition before the High Court seeking his release. After a division bench of the High Court delivered a split verdict on this plea, a third judge was appointed to decide on the matter.

The third judge, Justice Karthikeyan, last week ruled against Balaji's release, prompting the present appeal before the Supreme Court.

The appeal has been filed through Advocate-on-Record (AoR) Misha Rohatgi.