ED arrests Senthil Balaji in alleged job-for-cash scam. What is the case? Explained
The case pertains to allegations of bribes taken by Balaji — then an AIADMK minister - from people seeking appointments in the state transport department.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Tamil Nadu electricity minister V Senthil Balaji under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act in Chennai in the wee hours of Wednesday after hours-long raids at his premises in Chennai, Karur and his office at the Secretariat.
The latest development against Balaji comes two weeks after the income-tax (I-T) department conducted an eight-day raid at over 40 places across Tamil Nadu linked to the minister and his supporters. The move came after the Supreme Court in May overruled a 2022 Madras high court order that dismissed the proceedings against Balaji and others in the alleged recruitment scam. The apex court set aside the HC order directing a fresh probe into the suspected multi-crore transport job scam and allowed the ED to continue its ongoing probe. The SC also said that a request for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) can be considered at a later stage.
What is the alleged job-for-scam case
The case dates back to 2011-2015 and relates to allegations of bribes allegedly taken by Balaji — then an All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) minister — from job aspirants seeking appointments in the state transport department. Balaji was the department’s minister during the previous AIADMK government led by the late J Jayalalithaa.
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The case was taken up by the Madras High Court after a complaint was registered in 2018 by a technical staff in the Metro Transport Corporation (MTC) accusing Balaji and other persons of receiving kickbacks to the tune of ₹4.25 crores reportedly after making false promises of jobs at various levels in the MTC. Many candidates did not get jobs despite allegedly paying bribes.
Three FIRs were registered against Balaji and later charge sheets were filed against him. The ED registered a PMLA case against Balaji and others in July 2021 and started the investigation.
Who is Balaji?
The DMK strongman from Karur began his political life as a local body member in 1997.
As an AIADMK worker, he was elected to the Karur constituency in the 2006 assembly elections and served as state transport minister from 2011 to 2015.
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Balaji quit AIADMK after former chief minister J Jayalalitha’s death in 2016 and joined the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in December 2018.
Balaji won the April 2021 assembly elections and was appointed as the minister for electricity, prohibition, and excise in the MK Stalin government.
(With inputs from PTI)