In a statement, the PMK leader said, “The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has requested the Tamil Nadu government to grant permission to initiate an inquiry into a case filed against former minister Senthil Balaji, concerning the illicit transfer of crores of rupees fraudulently collected from innocent youths under the pretext of providing jobs within the state-run transport corporations.”
He called the move a “welcome step” towards ensuring probity in public administration.
“The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Chennai Police has registered a case alleging that Senthil Balaji, a current MLA belonging to the DMK, defrauded thousands of individuals of crores of rupees during his tenure as the Minister for Transport between 2011 and 2015, by promising them employment opportunities as drivers, conductors, technical staff, and engineers within the state transport corporations,” he said.
Based on this predicate offense, the ED has registered a case against Senthil Balaji, his brother, and others, alleging the illicit transfer of funds acquired through this job racket. “this case is currently pending before a special court in Chennai,” he said.
Noting that it was in connection with this specific case that Senthil Balaji was arrested and subsequently imprisoned for 410 days, the PMK leader said, “However, as government sanction is a mandatory prerequisite for prosecuting former ministers and given that such sanction was not granted during the previous DMK administration, the formal court proceedings regarding the money laundering case against Senthil Balaji have not yet been able to commence”.
Recalling that on May 14 of last year, the ED submitted a request to the then Tamil Nadu Governor, R.N. Ravi, seeking permission to proceed with the inquiry into the case against Senthil Balaji, he said, “However, the administration at the time rejected the ED’s request, asserting that any application seeking sanction to prosecute former ministers must be submitted directly to the state government itself.”Anbumani further said that the ED has now formally addressed a letter, accompanied by the requisite evidentiary documents, to the Chief Secretary of the Tamil Nadu government.
Alleging that Senthil Balaji himself has admitted to having collected money from thousands of individuals under the pretext of securing employment for them within transport corporations, he said, “Senthil Balaji has further informed the High Court that he personally refunded the money to many of those who were victimized in this manner”.
“There exists evidence demonstrating that Senthil Balaji illegally laundered the funds acquired through this fraudulent scheme”, he alleged and added that “an individual who has committed such crimes must not be permitted to evade justice by exploiting the protective shield extended to him by the DMK government”.
Citing the TVK’s election manifesto, he said it promised to operate with a policy of “zero tolerance” towards bribery and urged the state government to grant the necessary authorisation to initiate judicial proceedings in the money laundering case against Senthil Balaji.
