New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday (December 20), while saying that it was terribly wrong in appointing DMK leader V Senthil Balaji as a minister days after grant of bail in a money laundering case related to the cash-for-job scam, issued a notice to the state government of Tamil Nadu and directed it to place on record details of pending criminal cases against Balaji.
A bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih, was hearing a plea filed by one of the victims seeking cancellation of bail granted to Balaji in the cash-for-jobs-linked money laundering case on the ground that witnesses will be under pressure in the case after his appointment as a minister.
Besides public servants, common people from whom money was taken were all witnesses, apex court noted
The apex court noted that besides the public servants, common people from whom money was taken were all witnesses, and directed the state government of Tamil Nadu to place on record details about criminal cases pending against Balaji and number of witnesses which are required to be examined in the cases and also state how many victims of the offences are witnesses and how many public servants are witnesses.
There is something terribly wrong: Apex Court on Balaji becoming minister after his release on bail
“It can’t be axiomatic that the moment a person (Balaji) is released he becomes a minister, there is something terribly wrong. Because there maybe cases and cases where somebody is being framed. In the facts of the case we will have to consider,” the bench observed while hearing the matter.
ED has accused Balaji of delaying trial
The ED had recently filed an affidavit in the matter, accusing Balaji of having deliberately attempted to delay the trial court proceedings after his release from jail in the money laundering case. It has also said that some of the key witnesses cited in the chargesheet are persons who earlier worked under the supervision of Balaji during his tenure as transport minister and raised concerns about potential influence and impartiality in fair and effective trial after Balaji reassuming the office as a minister.
Apex Court on September 26 granted bail to Balaji in money laundering case
The top court had on September 26 granted bail to Balaji in the cash-for-jobs-linked money laundering case after over 15 months, noting that there was no possibility of the completion of trial of the case in the near future. Balaji was sworn in as a minister in the Tamil Nadu government again on September 29 following grant of bail by the top court and his release from the jail.
The matter would be heard next on January 15 next year.
