@V_Senthilbalaji
Justice Oka asked that we grant bail and the next day you go and become a minister? One would be bound to assume that the witnesses would now be under pressure because of your position as a senior Cabinet Minister. What is this happening? The court said it would not recall the entire bail decision but would investigate the possibility of witnesses coming under pressure.
The Supreme Court expressed concern over Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Senthil Balaji being reinstated as a minister in the MK Stalin-led government in Tamil Nadu soon after he was granted bail in a money laundering case. A bench of Justices A S Oka and A G Masih agreed to probe whether his role as a minister would put pressure on witnesses when it comes to testifying against him. The court was hearing a plea seeking recall of the September 26, 2024 order granting bail to Balaji on the grounds that his reinstatement would put witnesses under pressure. The Supreme Court had granted him bail on the grounds that there was no possibility of the trial starting soon. Three days later, on September 29, Balaji was once again made a minister in the state government.
Justice Oka asked that we grant bail and the next day you go and become a minister? One would be bound to assume that the witnesses would now be under pressure because of your position as a senior Cabinet Minister. What is this happening? The court said it would not recall the entire bail decision but would investigate the possibility of witnesses coming under pressure. The apprehension is that given the seriousness of the allegations against the second defendant in the predicate offences, the witnesses may not be in a mental state to testify against the second defendant holding the post of a Cabinet Minister.
The court said that this is the only aspect prima facie we are willing to consider the application. Balaji’s lawyer sought time to take instructions after which the court fixed the next hearing of the case on December 13, 2024. DMK leader Senthil Balaji was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in June last year in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam. He was then serving as the Minister of Electricity, Prohibition and Excise in Tamil Nadu.
