NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Madras High Court Chief Justice to appoint a separate judge for trial of the corruption case against Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji who was granted bail last week in the alleged cash-for-jobs scam.
The court also said it would look into the petitioners’ demand to remove Balaji from his minister post in the next hearing on October 22.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, which went through the report of the judge of a special court dealing with cases related to Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of Tamil Nadu, said the judge has 29 cases with him. The bench said the special judge’s report indicates that in many cases, the trial has begun while in many others, it is yet to begin.
“The case, which is the subject matter of this application, has more than 2,000 accused and around 600 prosecution witnesses. Looking at the allegations, which have been made in the charge sheet, the case requires urgent disposal.
Considering the number of cases entrusted to the special judge, it would be appropriate for the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court to appoint one session judge to deal with this case,” the bench said.
SC to hear plea to oust Balaji from min post
The bench then directed the registry to forward the copy of its order to the Madras High Court registrar general to be placed before the CJ for necessary action. The bench said the CJ should entrust the case to a Sessions Judge who is not burdened with other cases and directed the registrar general to submit a report on the next date of hearing.
Senthil Balaji (48) was sworn in as minister by Governor R N Ravi on Sunday and was assigned the same key portfolios of electricity, non-conventional energy development, prohibition and excise which were previously held by him in the Chief Minister M K Stalin cabinet.
Senior advocates Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Guru Krishnakumar, appearing for the complainants, said he was granted bail last week and now he has been made a minister.
“Now it is more imperative to transfer the case outside the state. He is now minister. We should have asked the court to impose a bail condition that he should not be made minister,” Sankaranarayanan said.
The bench said it is a political aspect in which the court cannot do much. Krishnakumar said Balaji should be removed from the ministership. “You file an application and we will look into it,” the bench said and listed the matter for hearing on October 22.
When senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Tamil Nadu, questioned the focus on Balaji, stating there are other ministers with pending cases against them, Justice Oka responded that the state’s focus should be on giving priority to the trial of the case. He further suggested that the state provides a list of pending cases against other ministers so that similar priority orders could be passed.
“Therefore, we suggest that on the next date you point out how many cases are there against ministers so we will ensure they are given out of turn priority. We are very serious about it. Please tell us how many cases are pending against the ministers. Similar order we can pass,” he said.
The ED had arrested Balaji, representing the Karur assembly constituency, on June 14, 2023, in a money laundering case linked to a cash-for-jobs scam when he was a minister during the AIADMK regime.