CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (MHC) on Wednesday granted four more months' time to the Principal Sessions Judge here to complete the trial in a money laundering case registered against former Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested by the ED last year.
Originally, while dismissing a bail petition filed by Senthil Balaji, Justice N Anand Venkatesh of the Madras HC had on February 28 said that since the petitioner (accused) was in custody for about eight months then, the Special Court, trying Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases, was directed to conduct the trial preferably on a day-to-day basis and complete it within three months.
As the three months' time was nearing completion and the trial was yet to begin in the case, Principal Sessions Judge S Alli wrote to the Madras High Court, seeking more time to complete the trial in the case.
Based on the letter, Justice G Jayachandran took up the matter and granted four more months time to the PSJ to complete the trial. The judge also directed Senthil Balaji to cooperate in the case.
Balaji, a senior DMK leader, was arrested on June 14, 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the money laundering case linked to a cash-for-jobs scam when he was the Transport Minister during an earlier AIADMK regime.