CHENNAI: Minister V Senthil Balaji has filed a fresh bail application before the principal sessions and special court dealing with cases filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. When the application came up for hearing, principal sessions judge S Alli ordered notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and posted the matter to January 8.
This is the third bail application the minister has moved in the principal sessions court after two earlier petitions were dismissed. He could not get the relief from the Madras High Court or the Supreme Court as the petitions were dismissed.
Balaji was arrested by the ED on June 14, 2023, under the PMLA for laundering money obtained through the cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as transport minister between 2011-2014 when Jayalalithaa was the chief minister.
Meanwhile, the special court for MP/MLA cases has adjourned the hearing in the case on the cash-for-jobs scam to February 2 saying that the court can proceed only after the sanction for prosecution is granted against 900 people arrayed in the additional charge sheet. The counsel for CCB of Chennai Police informed the court that sanction for prosecution is yet to be granted by the government.