ED launches raids at Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji’s premises

The Supreme Court granted Balaji bail in September 2024 in a separate money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the recruitment in the state transport department

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday launched raids at multiple locations in Tamil Nadu in connection with a fresh money laundering probe against minister Senthil Balaji and others linked to alleged irregularities in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation that has a monopoly over liquor trade in the state, people aware of the matter said.

Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji. (X)

ED teams were searching around 10 locations in Karur and other places. Central Reserve Police Force personnel were accompanying the federal agency’s officers.

The Supreme Court granted Balaji bail in September 2024 in a separate money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the recruitment in the state transport department. Balaji was reinstated as the minister for electricity, prohibition, and excise within three days of bail. He held the same portfolio from May 2011 to June 2023 before his arrest.

In its previous case, ED alleged that irregularities took place in Tamil Nadu’s transport department when Balaji was the transport minister between 2011 and 2015 in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government.

The federal agency, which the state government accuses of running a fake case for political reasons, claimed in its charge sheet filed in 2023 that Balaji exploited his official capacity as the transport minister for personal gains through corrupt and illegal means. “He directly acquired illicit proceeds resulting from criminal activities linked to scheduled offences and collaborated with co-conspirators, including his brother, personal assistants and officials from the transport department, to orchestrate a strategy.”