Armed with SC order, ED takes Senthilbalaji into custody for interrogation
The Hindu
ED takes T.N. Minister V. Senthilbalaji in custody in money laundering case; SC allows 5-day interrogation
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Monday night took V. Senthilbalaji, jailed Tamil Nadu Minister without portfolio, in its custody in an alleged money laundering case after the Supreme Court earlier in the day allowed the agency to interrogate him for five days.
Mr. Senthilbalaji, who was arrested on June 14, could not be interrogated earlier as he was admitted to hospital following complaints of chest pain. Subsequently, he underwent a heart bypass surgery at a private hospital in Chennai and upon being discharged, was lodged at the Puzhal Central Prison, Chennai.
Armed with the apex court order, the ED through its counsel N. Ramesh moved an urgent application before the Principal Sessions Court for custodial interrogation. When the matter was taken up by Principal Sessions Judge S. Alli, Mr. Senthilbalaji was produced through video conferencing facility from the Central Prison. The judge said the apex court has allowed the ED to conduct custodial interrogation until August 12 and based on the order, she said Mr. Senthilbalaji can be taken for custodial interrogation from the judicial custody.
At the time of filing this report, the sleuths of the agency were taking Mr. Senthilbalaji by road from Puzhal to its office in Nungambakkam.
A Supreme Court Bench of Justices A.S. Bopanna and M.M. Sundresh had earlier in the day dismissed the appeals of the Minister and his wife, Megala, challenging a Madras High Court order upholding the power of the ED, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, to have police custody of him.
The apex court agreed with the High Court that a habeas corpus petition would not be maintainable after a judicial order for remand under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
The judgment, authored by Justice Sundresh, held that Section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) would also include officers of other investigating agencies, including Enforcement Directorate officers, and not just police personnel.