CHENNAI: Former minister and DMK leader V Senthil Balaji has filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the case registered by Triplicane police over alleged attempts to poach TVK MLA N Ilaiyaraja by offering him Rs 35 crore. The court will hear the petition on Wednesday along with the one filed by his brother R V Ashok Kumar seeking the same relief.
Balaji contended that he is not named as an accused in the FIR, and that his implication in the case comes not from any fact stated in the FIR but from a subsequent political extension of its narrative.
Even on the FIR, there is no allegation that he called up the de facto complainant (Ilaiyaraja), sent any message, authorised the caller, met the complainant, deputed any person nor arranged or handled money or participated in any meeting or conspiracy, Senthil Balaji stated.
“Thus, the essential connecting link between the petitioner and the alleged call is completely absent,” he said in the petition.
Stating that offences under sections 8 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act require at least prima facie material showing conscious offer, promise, abetment, facilitation or participation in gratification, he noted that conspiracy under Section 61 (2) (a) of BNS cannot be fastened on a person who is not alleged to have uttered, conveyed or caused any threat.
Moreover, he stated there are no call detail records, voice recording, message, tower location, CCTV footage, money trail or independent witnesses connecting him to the alleged offer of Rs 35 crore.
Both the bail applications filed by Senthil Balaji and his brother R V Ashok Kumar will come up for hearing on Wednesday before Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan.
