ED arrests Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji under anti-money laundering act

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji after a long session of questioning in a money laundering case, according to people familiar with the development.

The ED sleuths on Tuesday raided the premises linked to Balaji and questioned him in a case that pertains to allegations when he was the transport minister during the AIADMK-led government from 2011 to 2015 before he switched to the DMK.

Amid speculations over Balaji’s custody on late Tuesday night, the minister was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a government hospital in Chennai. High drama unfolded outside the hospital as the DMK leader grimaced in pain, with state minister P K Sekar Babu claiming there were ‘symptoms’ Balaji has been ‘tortured.’

“He is in the ICU. He was in an unconscious state and did not respond when he called him by his name. He is under observation… there is a swelling near his ear, doctors say there is variation in his ECG (electrocardiogram)… these are symptoms of torture,” Babu told reporters.

TV visuals showed Balaji crying in pain while lying in a car as his supporters gathered there to protest against the ED action. A team of Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed at Omandurar Government Medical College hours after he was admitted to the ICU.

Tamil Nadu BJP vice president Narayanan Thirupathy termed it a “complete drama” by the ruling DMK and said it was the duty of Balaji to cooperate with the law enforcement agency.

“Much drama, screenplay, and dialogues are happening today in Tamil Nadu. This is not good for Tamil Nadu or DMK. I demand CM MK Stalin to dismiss Senthil Balaji from his ministry immediately and ask him to cooperate with the probe,” Thirupathy told ANI.