T.N. Minister Senthilbalaji arrest | CM Stalin warns BJP about provoking DMK

Slamming the BJP for its ‘political vendetta’ in the arrest of the Electricity Minister, Mr. Stalin asked the BJP to go through history for an idea of the kind of protests the DMK could organise; he said he was no opposed to an inquiry against Mr. Senthilbalaji but objected to the manner in which this had been carried out

Reiterating that Electricity Minister V. Senthilbalaji was tortured by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) due to political vendetta, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday, June 15, 2023, warned the BJP that it would not be able to bear the consequences if it provoked the DMK and its party cadre.

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Mr. Senthilbalaji who was arrested early on the morning of June 14, 2023, has been remanded to judicial custody till June 28. His arrest followed 18 hours of investigation, and searches conducted by the ED at his office at the State secretariat as well as premises linked to him, in connection with a money laundering case. He was subsequently admitted to the Government Multi Super-Specialty Hospital, Omandurar, where he underwent a coronary angiogram and was advised surgery at the earliest.

“Go through history to know the kind of protests organised by the DMK. Just ask the senior leaders in Delhi about us. We also know politics. I am not issuing a threat. This is a warning,” the CM said in a video message, ‘Ungalil Oruvan.’

Mr. Stalin said Mr. Senthilbalaji was unjustifiably tortured by the ED and no one was left in doubt about the fact that this was an act of political vendetta. “They have taken up a 10-year-old case and locked him up in a room for 18 hours. They tortured him mentally and caused him to suffer a fatal heart disease. There can’t be a more blatant incident of political vendetta than this,” he said.

Making it clear that he was not opposed to an inquiry against Mr. Senthilbalaji if there was a case and a court order, the Chief Minister wondered what was the need to treat the Minister like a terrorist, locking him in a room.

“He is not an ordinary man who can run away. He is an elected member of the Assembly. He is a five-time MLA and a two-time Minister and attends public events regularly. He fully cooperated with the ED officials when they wanted to interrogate him. He also promised to give a clear explanation if any documents were seized. What was the need to keep him in a room for 18 hours, not being allowed to meet anyone,” he further asked.