[ad_1]
Jailed Tamil Nadu Minister Senthilbalaji. File
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu
The Madras High Court on Thursday, October 19, 2023 dismissed a bail petition filed by jailed T.N. Minister V. Senthilbalaji. The petition had been filed solely on health grounds, while the Minister reserved his right to seek bail on merits, when the circumstances so warranted. Mr. Senthilbalaji was arrested in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 this year.
Justice G. Jayachandran refused to enlarge the Minister on bail, even on medical grounds, after accepting the contention of the prosecution that he was an influential person and therefore, there was every possibility of him attempting to tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses if he was let out on bail.
To get today’s top stories from the State in your inbox, subscribe to our Tamil Nadu Today newsletter
The judge took into consideration the submissions made by Additional Solicitor General AR.L. Sundaresan, assisted by Special Public Prosecutor N. Ramesh for the ED, that the very fact of the petitioner continuing to be a Minister even after four months of his arrest, was evidence of the influence he wields.
The judge further agreed with the ED that the Minister’s brother V. Ashok Kumar, who has remained absconding till date, coupled with the attack on Income Tax officials when they conducted a search and seizure operation in Ashok Kumar’s premises in Karur in May this year, would indicate that the Minister may cause harm to the prosecution.
[ad_2]
Source link
