The Enforcement Directorate is conducting raids on a close aide of Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji, who is an accused in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam, ED sources said on September 12.
Around 10 premises of the unnamed aide of the Minister are being raided in Tamil Nadu, sources said, adding more details are awaited.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu | ED raids underway in Anna Nagar, Mylapore and Teynampet areas of Chennai. Visuals from an Auditor's office and residence in Anna Nagar.
ED officials have launched simultaneous searches across the state on allegations of large-scale tax evasion in the sale… pic.twitter.com/3Gq3t2cu77
— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2023
Senthil Balaji was arrested by the ED officials on June 14 in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam. He was produced in the MP/MLAs Special Court in Chennai.
The special court for MP/MLAs has extended Senthil Balaji’s judicial custody till September 15. The court handed over a copy of the ED chargesheet to the arrested DMK minister.
Background
On May 16, the Supreme Court of India set aside the Madras High Court’s order directing a fresh investigation into the Tamil Nadu Cash-for-Jobs Scam, where it was alleged that V Senthil Balaji and certain Government officials accepted bribes in exchange for appointments to State transport corporation between 2011 and 2015.
The ED registered four cases concerning the alleged scam, wherein two cases pertained to irregularities in the appointment of bus conductors and the other two concerned irregularities in the appointment of drivers and junior engineers. Senthil Balaji moved to the Madras High Court seeking discharge from the cases and contended that he was a victim of ‘political malice’ as he defected from AIADMK to the DMK, however, the court rejected the contention.
(with inputs from ANI)
