Arrested Tamil Nadu Min Senthil Balaji Resigns Ahead of His Bail Plea

Chennai: Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case preferred to resign from his post before his bail plea hearing in the Madras High Court.

He was arrested by the ED on June 14, 2023, in relation to a cash-for-job case filed by the Central Crime Branch police, Chennai, when he was the transport minister during the previous AIADMK regime.

According to sources, following the resignation letter from Senthil Balaji, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has urged Governor TN Ravi to drop him from the cabinet.

Senthil Balaji continued as a minister in the Tamil Nadu cabinet even after his arrest. But the Madras High Court objected to this move. “Political compulsion cannot outweigh the public morality, requirements of good/clean governance and the Constitutional morality,” a bench led by Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala said.

Lower courts have denied bail to Senthil Balaji. His bail plea will be heard for the second time by the Madras High Court in two days.