Senthil Balaji
What's going on?: Supreme Court questions Senthil Balaji's reinstatement as Tamil Nadu minister immediately after bail
New Delhi/IBNS: The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the reinstatement of DMK leader V Senthil Balaji as the Tamil Nadu minister shortly after he was granted bail in a money laundering case, media reports said.
The top court said the reinstatement will give an impression that witnesses against Balaji will be under pressure.
Justice AS Oka said as quoted by NDTV, "We grant bail and the next day you go and become Minister, anybody will be bound under the impression that now with your position as a senior Cabinet Minister witnesses will be under pressure. What is this going on?"
In September, Supreme Court bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Augustine George Masih granted bail to the four-time MLA.
Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last year.
He was arrested by the ED last year in connection with a money laundering case in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam case during his tenure as Transport Minister in the previous AIADMK regime (2011-2015).
Interestingly, rejecting his bail plea, the Madras High Court had earlier said it would send a wrong signal if Balaji was granted bail in a case of this nature.
The High Court had said it would be appropriate to direct the special court to finish the case within a certain time as the accused was in custody for more than eight months.
Senthilbalaji, who had remained as a minister without portfolio after his arrest, resigned from the state cabinet on February 12 this year.
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