CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji’s wife Mekala today moved an urgent habeas corpus petition (HCP) before a bench of Justices M Sundar and R Sakthivel of Madras High Court.
Making a mention before the bench, senior counsel and DMK’s Rajya Sabha Member NR Elango, appearing for the petitioner, informed that Senthil Balaji was arrested on the early hours, at about 2 am on Wednesday on charges under the prevention of money laundering act (PMLA). None of the family members or advocates was allowed to meet him while he was kept under custody at his home, he alleged.
Elango said the arrest is illegal as the grounds of arrest were not informed; no notice was served on him under the PMLA as mandated.
"The minister was taken to the Omandurar government hospital for medical check-up. I am given to understand now that he was taken to an angiogram," he said.
The bench agreed to hear the petition if the formalities of numbering the petition are completed. "We will allow a lunch motion provided it is numbered. And if there is any issue (in processing) you can mention it too," the bench said.