Was 'treated badly' by ED officials, Senthil Balaji tells human rights panel member

Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission (TNSHRC) member V Kannadasan on Thursday met Cabinet Minister V Senthil Balaji in a hospital and said the latter had told him that he was “treated badly” by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials who had arrested him in a cash for jobs scam on June 14.

“He said he was dragged and suffered an injury in his head,” Kannadasan said. “However, only the doctors can confirm about the injuries said to have been suffered by Balaji.” The TNSHRC will look into the matter, he added.

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Meanwhile, senior AIADMK leader and former MLA, IS Inbadurai, took exception to Kannadasan’s meeting with Balaji, saying he had in the past appeared in TV debates and spoken in support of the DMK. Speaking to reporters in Chennai, he claimed the report that Kannadasan would file on the matter will be “fake”. Terming Kannadasan’s appointment as “wrong”, he said “we will separately question that”. “Kannadasan’s possible report is like one judging one’s own case,” Inbadurai said. He, however, said he was not opposed to the TNSHRC intervening in the matter.

Balaji was arrested on Wednesday by the ED in connection with a cash for jobs scam when he was transport minister in the late Jayalalithaa-led cabinet. He has since been hospitalised after he complained of chest pain.

(With agency inputs)