CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji is to be sent to judicial custody for 14 days until 28 June.
The Principal Sessions Judge S Alli today remanded Minister Senthil Balaji to judicial custody till June 28 following his arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The judge visited Omandurar multi-speciality government hospital to carry out remand formalities. However, advocates appearing for the minister opposed and sought bail. Principal sessions judge S Alli reserved orders on the bail application moved by Senthil Balaji. The judge also adjourned the hearing of a custody petition filed by ED to June 15.
The minister was arrested on Wednesday by ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for an alleged cash-for-job scam. However, he was admitted to Omandurar Hospital in Chennai after he complained of uneasiness during ED raids.
Enforcement Directorate officials, accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, conducted searches at multiple places linked to electricity minister V Senthil Balaji, including his office in the state secretariat and his official residence in Chennai, in a suspected money laundering case on Tuesday.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had condemned the arrest and called it an assault on federalism.
A sessions court judge is to decide about the treatment of the minister.
(This is a developing story.)