TN Minister Arrested by ED Can be Treated at Private Hospital: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted the shifting of arrested Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji to a private hospital for treatment and bypass surgery, reported NDTV.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Balaji in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam in the TN transport department. He is now undergoing treatment at a government hospital in Chennai.

Madras High Court had allowed the shifting of Balaji to a private hospital. But the ED had moved the Supreme Court against this Madras High Court order.

A Supreme Court vacation bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice M M Sundresh noted that the petition was still pending in the Madras High Court and asked the ED to approach that court.

“The observation made by the High Court was in an interim order and any oral observation made by this court shall have no bearing on the case,” the bench said while posting the matter for hearing on July 4.

Bajali, the electricity and prohibition and excise minister of Tamil Nadu, was arrested on June 14 by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).