Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji Faces Framing of Charges

A sessions court is set to frame charges on July 22 against former Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji in a money laundering case. Arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last year, Balaji remains in judicial custody. The judge extended his remand and dismissed petitions seeking relief.

A sessions court would frame charges on July 22 in a money laundering case against former Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested by the ED last year.

Principal Sessions Judge S Alli directed the prosecution to produce the DMK leader in person before the court on that day for the framing of charges.

When the case came up for hearing on Thursday, Balaji was produced before the court by the prosecution through video-conferencing from the Central Puzhal Prison. The judge extended his remand till July 22. Balaji's judicial custody was also extended till July 22.

Meanwhile, the judge dismissed a petition filed by Balaji, which sought to discharge him from the case.

The judge also dismissed two other new petitions filed by him. In one petition, he sought to send the ''Relied Upon Documents No.16 and 17''-- certain bank challans, to the Tamil Nadu Forensic Sciences Laboratory for authenticating their genuineness. In the other one, he sought to re-open arguments in the discharge petition on his side, which was closed in March this year. Balaji was arrested on June 14, 2023, by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to a cash-for-jobs scam during his term as the Transport Minister in an earlier AIADMK regime.

(With inputs from agencies.)