Tamil Nadu CM M.K.Stalin meets State Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji in Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin, his cabinet colleagues and DMK members of Parliament yesterday met State Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji, who is admitted at ICU at Omandurar multi specialty hospital, Chennai. The enforcement Directorate had arrested Senthil Balaji in the early hours yesterday after 16 hours of inquiry Tuesday.

In a statement released yesterday, Mr. Stalin accused the BJP Government of political vendetta. The Chief Minister said that it was inhuman to arrest him hurriedly without following proper procedures though he had expressed full cooperation in the inquiry conducted by the authorities. 

He also condemned the raids conducted at Balaji's cabin in the Secretariat without prior permission. Security has been strengthened in the Hospital campus and at the places belonging to the Minister in Karur.



DMK has said that it will take a legal course of action to counter the case.

Opposition parties have condemned the arrest of Senthil Balaji and blamed the BJP of misusing central agencies to attack their political rivals. The Supreme Court permitted the raids in a cash for job case when Senthil Balaji was serving as a minister in the previous AIADMK Government. In a related development, Senthil Balaji's wife Meghala has field a Habeas Corpus petition in the Madras High Court. The case is coming up for a hearing later in the day.

The Omandurar Government Hospital has recommended bypass surgery for the arrested State Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji who is undergoing treatment since early yesterday morning. The doctors did an angiogram to the ailing Minister yesterday.