CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed a petition challenging the order of a special court for MP/MLA cases to merge the charge sheets in the cash-for-jobs cases against Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity V Senthil Balaji.
The petition was filed by the Anti-Corruption Movement, an NGO, which prayed for the high court to quash the special court’s order to merge four additional charge sheets filed by the Central Crime Branch of Greater Chennai Police after conducting further probe on the job racket involving recruitment to the posts of junior engineer, driver, conductor and junior tradesman in the transport corporation during Senthil Balaji’s tenure as Transport Minister (2011-15 ) in the J Jayalalithaa Cabinet.
Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan dismissed the petition. During arguments, advocate N Subramanian, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that separate charge sheets were filed initially with respect to the posts and later further investigation was held and additional charge sheets were filed.
All the charge sheets were merged and such action would lead to a long delay of trial.
He told the court the number of accused rose to 2,256 from 47 and the witnesses increased to 668 from 112 following the merger. It will take 1,500 years to complete cross-examination of the witnesses.