Early test for CM Vijay as ED seeks sanction from TN govt to prosecute Senthil Balaji

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has formally approached the newly elected Tamil Nadu government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, seeking mandatory sanction to prosecute DMK leader and former minister V Senthil Balaji in a high-profile money laundering case linked to an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in the AIADMK government between 2011 and 2016.

In a three-page letter dated May 15, addressed to Chief Secretary M Saikumar, the ED has enclosed all relevant evidence, a confidential investigation note, and a copy of its prosecution complaint filed before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Chennai, delivered via a pen drive.

First legal challenge to Opposition DMK

The central agency has accused the outgoing DMK government under MK Stalin of “deliberately delaying” the grant of sanction because Balaji was a sitting minister and senior member of the ruling party at the time. It has urged the new TVK-led administration to accord immediate approval so that the trial can formally commence.

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The Chief Secretary’s office has acknowledged receipt of the communication, marking the first significant legal challenge for the DMK, now in Opposition following the change of guard in the state after the April 2026 Assembly elections.

The case stems from complaints that job aspirants in the state’s transport department, particularly the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), were allegedly forced to pay bribes in exchange for promised employment during Balaji’s tenure as Transport Minister in the J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK regime.

A Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) FIR triggered the ED’s money laundering probe under the PMLA against Balaji, his brother RV Ashok Kumar, and three personal assistants, including B Shanmugam, M Karthikeyan, and others.

Mandatory state sanction for public servants

The ED alleges that proceeds of crime from the illegal gratification were laundered through various channels. Multiple charge sheets were filed based on complaints from candidates who claimed they paid money but failed to secure jobs. The agency has described the racket as a systematic abuse of power during 2011-2016.

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The ED first sought prosecution sanction from the then Governor on May 14, 2025. However, the request was returned on February 23, 2026, after the DMK government directed that the state government, not the Raj Bhavan, was the competent authority. In October 2025, the then Chief Secretary had explicitly advised the Governor that the ED should approach the Chief Secretary directly.

The agency has now reiterated its request to the new dispensation, emphasising that the trial cannot proceed without the mandatory state sanction for public servants.

Early test for Vijay’s govt

The development comes barely days after the TVK-led government assumed office, ending the DMK’s decade-long rule in the state. DMK leaders have in the past dismissed the case as politically motivated, while the ED has consistently maintained that Balaji’s continued ministerial role under the previous regime contributed to the delay in granting sanction.

The fresh communication is being viewed as an early test for the Vijay government on anti-corruption credentials and centre-state relations in the handling of central agency probes.

The ED’s letter does not comment on the outcome of the trial but stresses the need for judicial proceedings to move forward unhindered. Balaji, who remains an active DMK leader and legislator, has not issued a public statement on the latest development as of Monday evening. The case continues to be listed before the special PMLA court, where proceedings have been on hold pending the state government’s sanction.