E-Paper
Tamil Nadu: Senthil undergoes heart surgery, top court to wait for HC’s verdict
Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji underwent a heart bypass surgery on Wednesday in Chennai’s Kauvery hospital, while the Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to wait for the Madras high court’s verdict on the matter on June 22
The Supreme Court, which was hearing Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) case against Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji getting admitted to a private hospital, on Wednesday decided to wait for the Madras high court’s verdict on the matter on June 22. The ED had alleged that the minister is feigning illness.
“High court is yet to render its final option on habeas corpus petition and the exclusion of period of treatment undergone by the detenue (Balaji) from the period of custodial interrogation and since both these issues are likely to be examined by the high court on June 22 or thereafter, we deem it appropriate to post this SLP for further hearing on July 4,” the top court stated in its order.
Balaji who was arrested by the ED on June 14 in connection with an alleged cash-for-jobs scam in the state’s transport department, underwent a heart coronary artery bypass surgery on Wednesday, people familiar with the matter said.
According to Chennai’s Kauvery Hospital, Balaji is stable and is being monitored in the postoperative cardiothoracic intensive care unit (PCICU). “Four bypass grafts were placed and coronary revascularization was established,” the hospital said in its health bulletin.
The ED had got 8 days custody of the minister starting June 16 but they were allowed to interrogate him only within hospital premises, prompting the federal agency on Monday to move the Supreme Court.
Balaji was admitted to the government Omandurar hospital after his arrest and doctors recommended the bypass surgery at the earliest after diagnosing three blockages in his heart. On June 15, Balaji was shifted to the Kauvery Hospital with a nod from the high court.
Health minister M Subaramanian on Wednesday said that the doctors were yet to decide on the number of days the minister will have to remain in the ICU and subsequently the general ward. “He will regain consciousness this evening,” said Subaramanian.
The opposition AIADMK fanned out in protest across Tamil Nadu demanding the ruling DMK government to remove Balaji from the council of ministers. The chief minister MK Stalin, his cabinet and family are supporting Balaji, said former minister SP Velumani speaking to reporters. “They are scared that Senthil Balaji will say something against them too,” said Velumani. “He has been named in a scam so Stalin has to remove him. But Stalin is busy using state agencies to raid us.”
Stalin has not removed Balaji as minister but reallocated his two important portfolios citing his ill health. Finance minister Thangam Thenarrasu is additionally handling electricity while housing minister S Muthusamy is also handling prohibition and excise.
A DMK leader reiterated that an elected representative need not be removed until proven guilty with a conviction. “There are so many Union ministers who have cases against them. Nobody has been removed isn’t it? The court has not yet framed charges against Senthil Balaji,” the leader said.
The allegations against Balaji date back to 2011-15 when he was the transport minister in the AIADMK government. He is accused of taking crores of rupees in return for jobs but candidates neither got jobs nor a refund. Stalin has described ED’s actions as the vendetta politics of the BJP-led Union government. The BJP, an ally of the AIADMK, has also demanded Balaji’s removal.
