ED arrests Tamil Nadu State Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji

Tamil Nadu State Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji was arrested by the enforcement directorate early morning today. He was admitted in Government General Hospital on complaint of severe chest pain after 17 hours of enquiry. AIR correspondent reports that there is no formal announcement on the arrest. He has been kept under CRPF protection. 

ED conducts raids at Senthil Balaji’s residences in money laundering case

Officials of the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids in Chennai, Karur and other places belonging to Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji on Tuesday. His office at the State Secretariat was also searched.

Searches are still going on at residences of his friends house also. The raids are being conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of money laundering Act. Last month, the income tax department had also raided  places belonging to Mr. Senthil Balaji.

The Supreme Court had allowed a police and Enforcement Directorate to probe into an alleged cash for jobs scam against Balaji, when he was a minister in the prior AIADMK Government. He joined DMK after the demise of   Jayalalithaa. Presently Senthil Balaji is also holding the Prohibition and Excise Portfolio.