CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji, on Tuesday, filed a bail application with the Madras High Court in the money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Senior counsel NR Elango, representing the Minister, appeared before Justice G Jayachandran, who has been assigned the portfolio of cases against MP/MLAs, and requested the court to take up the matter early.
The judge said he would take up the bail application for a hearing on Oct 11.
The Minister has filed the bail application since the Principal Sessions Court, Chennai, which is a special court for cases registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), refused to grant bail twice by dismissing the petitions filed by Senthil Balaji.
ED had opposed strongly against granting bail saying that he was still serving as a Minister and may influence the witnesses.
However, citing his health conditions and difficulties faced in the prison hospital, he sought the High Court to grant bail so that he could get better treatment. He also noted that he is facing several difficulties in post-surgery recovery and could not get proper treatment in the prison hospital.
Senthil Balaji was arrested on June 14 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked with a cash-for-jobs scam when he was the Transport Minister during an earlier AIADMK regime.
Balaji, currently lodged in the Puzhal Prison, underwent a health check-up at a government hospital here on Monday.