Senthilbalaji seeks bail from PMLA case

CHENNAI: Jailed minister V Senthilbalaji, on Friday, filed a bail petition before the principal sessions court Chennai, in connection with a case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the Enforcement Directorate.

Advocate Arun, the counsel for Senthilbalaji, appeared before the principal judge S Alli, and sought permission for the filing of bail plea. After his representation, the judge granted permission to file the bail petition.

Earlier when Senthilbalaji filed the bail petition, the sessions court and a special court for MP/MLA cases refused to entertain the bail petition, citing judicial limits.

However, on September 4, the Madras High Court directed the principal sessions court in Chennai to entertain the bail plea of Senthilbalaji and to dispose of the petition at the earliest.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a case against Senthilbalaji under the provisions of the PML Act over an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in the then AIADMK regime. The same day the principal sessions court subjugated Senthilbalaji into Judicial custody.

Subsequently, he underwent a surgery for the complaint of artery vein blockage and later he was shifted to Puzhal prison. Later Senthilbalaji was produced before the sessions court in Chennai on August 12 and the ED submitted a charge sheet of about 200 pages and 3000 pages of documents related to the investigation in a sealed cover.