Senthil Balaji, a minister for Tamil Nadu, is likely to be questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for a third day on Wednesday starting at 9 am as part of a money laundering investigation, according to sources. Investigators interrogated Balaji for more than nine hours on Tuesday as well. Balaji, the minister of electricity, prohibition, and excise, was detained on June 14 and taken to a government hospital in Chennai after claiming to be experiencing chest pains.
He was allowed by the Madras High Court on June 15 to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice. He was later taken from the Tamil Nadu government Multi Super Speciality Hospital to Kauvery Hospital at Alwarpet. Doctors attending on him recommended a bypass surgery.
Since his second remand period was valid till July 19, Balaji was shifted to prison immediately after his discharge from the hospital. Arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a cash-for-jobs scam case, he was taken from Kauvery Hospital to Puzhal prison.
The accusations go back to his time serving as minister of transportation for the 2011–2015 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) administration. After the ED presented the Sessions Court judge with a copy of the Supreme Court order, Justice Alli remanded Balaji in the agency’s custody for 5 days so that staff members could question him there. The administrators of the Puzhal prison received this directive. The minister then spoke with his attorney while being held in Puzhal prison. The same document was forwarded directly to the Nungambakkam office, and the Enforcement Directorate took some time to take the man into custody.