Order speedy trial, instead of granting bail to Senthilbalaji, ED urges Madras High Court

Former Minister accused of intentionally stalling trial in money laundering case, ED urges speedy trial instead of bail.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has accused former Minister V. Senthilbalaji of intentionally stalling the commencement of trial in a money laundering case and urged the Madras High Court to order speedy trial instead of accepting his plea to grant bail until the completion of trial.

In a counter affidavit filed before Justice N. Anand Venkatesh, who is slated to hear the bail application today, February 14, 2024, the ED said, it had time and again expressed its readiness for commencement of trial but the accused was wilfully delaying the process before the Principal Sessions Court in Chennai.

Read more On the arrest of Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthilbalaji and its aftermath

Stating that the former Minister could not complain of long pre-trial incarceration when the delay was caused by his own actions, the investigating officer Karthik Dasari said, the accused was a very influential person and hence there was high probability of him misusing his liberty to influence/threaten the witnesses.

The counter, filed through ED Special Public Prosecutor N. Ramesh, pointed out that the bail petitioner was arrested on June 14, 2023 and since then he was in judicial custody. The ED had completed the investigation and filed a prosecution complaint (similar to a charge sheet by local police) on August 12, 2023.

The prosecution complaint establishes the fact that the bail petitioner had played a pivotal role in exploiting his position as a Transport Minister, between 2011 and 2015, for personal gains by demanding and accepting bribe for appointment of drivers, conductors and others in government service, the ED said.

“He directly acquired illicit proceeds resulting from criminal activities linked to the scheduled offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. He conspired with his brother R.V. Ashok Kumar, his personal assistants B. Shanmugam and M. Karthikeyan and officials from the Transport Department, to orchestrate a strategy,” the counter read.