High Court Appoints New Judge in Senthil Balaji Bail Controversy

The Supreme Court addressed a petition reviewing the bail of Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji in a cash-for-job scam. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan pushed for an open court hearing. Balaji, recently granted bail, resumed his ministerial role amid concerns over public prosecutors' chain of command, driving further judicial review.

The Supreme Court was presented with a petition on Friday seeking a review of its earlier decision to grant bail to Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, involved in a cash-for-job scam. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the complainants, pushed for the review plea to be heard in an open court.

During the proceedings, the bench, led by Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih, asserted that if a review petition had indeed been filed, it would be evaluated based on its merits. This development follows the Supreme Court's grant of bail to Balaji on September 26, a decision made due to the unlikelihood of an early trial.

Complicating matters, Balaji resumed his position as a minister just days after his release, raising eyebrows over the influence of his political connections. Sankaranarayanan questioned the objectivity of the public prosecutor's chain of command, suggesting that it ultimately leads to Tamil Nadu's highest political offices. In response, the court directed the advocate to submit a formal application for further consideration, with a subsequent hearing scheduled for November 25.

(With inputs from agencies.)