The trial of former Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji, implicated in a notable money laundering case, commenced today in a local sessions court with the examination of the first witness by the prosecution.
Special Public Prosecutor N Ramesh, representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), initiated the proceedings by examining Harish Kumar, a key witness and former branch manager of City Union Bank in Karur. The focus of the examination was on the banking transactions of Balaji and his wife, Meghala, during which the prosecution presented seven exhibits as evidence.
The defense, led by counsel Gouthaman, requested the postponement of further hearings to allow for the cross-examination of Harish Kumar. The judge agreed and scheduled the next session for August 22, during which Balaji will remain in judicial custody, communicated via video conferencing from Central Prison, Puzhal.
Principal Sessions Judge S Alli, who had previously summoned three witnesses for examination on August 8, oversaw today’s proceedings, where all summoned witnesses were present. The prosecution’s case includes a total of 22 witnesses against Balaji.
Balaji’s legal troubles trace back to his tenure as the Transport Minister from 2011 to 2015 under the AIADMK government, where he was allegedly involved in a cash-for-jobs scandal. He was arrested by the ED on June 14, 2023. After a stint in a private hospital for a bypass surgery shortly after his arrest, he was taken into ED custody for further questioning and subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
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The complications in Balaji’s case increased with the ED filing a voluminous 3,000-page charge sheet against him on August 12, 2023. Since his arrest, both the Sessions Court and the Madras High Court have repeatedly denied his bail applications, most recently dismissing a petition to defer the trial on February 15, 2024.
