MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule on Wednesday said that she was not taken by surprise by the raids and subsequent action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji.
"I am not surprised at all. Data shows that 95 per cent of those who are being targetted by the central agencies are from the Opposition," Sule said.
The NCP working president was referring to the allegation by most Opposition parties who claim that the central government "misuses" the central probe agencies to target the opposition.
Earlier on Wednesday, in reaction to ED's handling of Senthil Balaji's probe, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Sanjay Raut said that though they keep sending complaints against Ministers from the BJP, he never gets to hear back from them.
"We keep sending complaints against their (BJP) people, with evidence. When will the probe against them start?" he questioned. Speaking about his own case he said, "I sent a complaint against three Maharashtra ministers to ED, on money laundering, I have not even received a reply...why are there no raids against them?"
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji underwent a coronary angiogram on Wednesday at the Omandurar government hospital in Chennai, informed the hospital officials. Balaji was hospitalised after he complained of chest pain during questioning by the ED.
There was high drama outside the hospital as the DMK minister was brought in early Wednesday morning. He could be seen crying while lying in a car as his supporters gathered outside the hospital to protest against the ED action.