TN minister Senthil Balaji sent to judicial custody till June 28

Tamil Nadu Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested on Wednesday by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), was sent to judicial custody till June 28 by a local court.

With his arrest, he became the first member in the M K Stalin-led Cabinet to face such an action from a central probe agency.

Balaji was arrested after a long session of questioning, sources said, even as the 47-year-old minister was admitted to a city government hospital after he complained of uneasiness. He underwent a coronary angiogram and was advised bypass surgery at the "earliest".

PTI06_14_2023_000077B — Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji reacts in pain while being admitted to a government hospital after his arrest in connection with a money laundering case, in Chennai. Photo: PTI

The agency had launched multi-city searches in the state on Tuesday on the premises linked to the DMK's Karur strongman as part of the probe into money laundering.

The action came months after the Supreme Court allowed a police and ED probe into an alleged cash for jobs scam against him.

The ED had launched searches at locations linked to Balaji in Chennai, Karur and Erode on Tuesday as part of the probe into money laundering.

Balaji was earlier with the AIADMK and had been Transport Minister in the late Jayalalithaa-led Cabinet.

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