SC seeks ED's reply on TN minister Senthil Balaji's plea against HC order

The Supreme Court requested a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday (July 21) regarding the pleas of Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji and his wife Megala.

They are challenging the July 14 order of the Madras High Court, which upheld the minister’s arrest by the probe agency in a money laundering case.

A bench of Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh issued notice to the ED on the pleas and posted the matter for hearing on July 26.

Also Read: TN: SC to hear Senthil Balaji’s plea in money laundering case on July 21

The minister and his wife have filed two separate petitions in the top court challenging the high court order.

Besides upholding the arrest of the minister, the high court had also held as valid his subsequent remand in judicial custody by a sessions court in the money laundering case arising out of the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in the states transport department when he was the transport minister.

He continues to be a minister without portfolio in the Tamil Nadu cabinet.

(With agency inputs)