CHENNAI: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday urged the TVK government to grant sanction to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute former Minister V Senthilbalaji in the alleged cash-for-jobs scam linked to recruitment in State transport corporations.
Claiming that Balaji had admitted to collecting money from job aspirants and had informed the Madras High Court that he had returned money to several victims, the PMK leader said there was evidence of illegal transfer of the proceeds generated through the scam. He alleged that the former minister should not be allowed to escape accountability under the protection extended by the previous DMK government.
Referring to the TVK government's election manifesto, Anbumani Ramadoss said the party that claims zero tolerance for corruption should act immediately. He urged the Vijay government to act in accordance with that commitment by granting sanction to commence the trial in the money-laundering case against Senthilbalaji.
He alleged that trial proceedings in the money laundering case had not commenced as the previous DMK government had refused to grant the sanction for prosecution, even though government approval was not mandatory for prosecuting former Ministers.
He said the ED had sought the State government’s permission to proceed with the money laundering case against Senthilbalaji over the alleged illegal transfer of funds collected from job aspirants by promising employment in transport corporations. He termed the move a welcome step aimed at ensuring probity in governance.