The Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated raids at multiple locations across Tamil Nadu on Thursday as part of a new investigation into money laundering allegations against state minister Senthil Balaji and others. This probe relates to purported irregularities in the operations of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, which holds a monopoly over the state’s liquor trade.
ED officials, supported by Central Reserve Police Force personnel, conducted searches in about ten locations in Karur and other areas, signaling a significant escalation in the legal scrutiny of Balaji’s activities. This action follows the Supreme Court’s decision in September 2024 to grant Balaji bail in a separate case concerning alleged corruption in the state transport department’s recruitment processes. Following his release, Balaji was promptly reinstated as the minister for electricity, prohibition, and excise.
Balaji’s tenure as the transport minister from 2011 to 2015, under the governance of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, had previously been marred by accusations of corruption. The ED, in its charge sheet filed in 2023, accused him of abusing his official position for personal gain. The charge sheet detailed how Balaji allegedly engaged in illicit financial activities, involving his brother, personal assistants, and transport department officials, to facilitate his schemes.
The state government has criticized the federal agency’s actions, suggesting that the charges are politically motivated. However, the ED maintains that their investigations are grounded in evidence of serious financial misconduct linked to Balaji’s periods in office.
