CHENNAI/KARUR: The Greater Chennai Police (GCP) on Saturday issued summonses to former DMK minister and Coimbatore South MLA V Senthil Balaji and his brother V Ashok Kumar to appear before the Triplicane police in Chennai at 10.30 am on Monday in connection with the alleged Rs 35-crore bribery bid and intimidation targeting Uthangarai MLA Dr N Ilaiyaraja of the ruling TVK.
A Look Out Circular (LOC) was also issued against the two to prevent them from leaving the country. Police sources said that since the whereabouts of the brothers is not known, the two summonses were handed over to their father at their residence in Karur.
Summonses handed over to Balaji’s father at Karur residence
According to police sources, Senthil Balaji and Ashok Kumar were booked in the case — regarding alleged attempt to make Ilaiyaraja vote against Speaker JCD Prabhakar in a motion proposed to be introduced in the Assembly — on Wednesday. The summons and LOC were served based on the statements of the eight persons arrested and remanded so far in the case.
The Triplicane police from Chennai arrived at the residence of Senthil Balaji’s parents, V Velusamy and Palaniammal, at Rameswarapatti village in Karur on Saturday. In the presence of Manmangalam village administrative officer Tamilarasan and Vangal police, Triplicane sub-inspector A Srinivasan obtained Velusamy’s signature acknowledging the receipt of the summons.
The development comes even as Ashok Kumar, fearing arrest, moved the Madras High Court on Friday, seeking an anticipatory bail in the case. Justice C Kumarappan adjourned the hearing to July 6, as the state counsel had sought time to file the counter-affidavit as the matter is serious and he had to get instructions from the government.
So far, the Triplicane police have arrested eight persons including two suspected aides of Senthil Balaji – hoteliers S Karthi (42) and T Athiban Ramesh (45) – who were picked up from Karur on July 1. Others arrested are Thirunavukkarasu, Naresh, Thiyagarajan, Selva, E M Srinivasan, Rajesh, Karthik and Ramesh.