The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay the Madras High Court order allowing Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, who was undergoing treatment at a government hospital in Chennai, to be shifted to a private hospital. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Balaji in connection with the alleged scam involving giving jobs in the Tamil Nadu Transport Department for money. The ED had moved the apex court against the order of the Madras High Court.
Next hearing will be on July 4
The vacation bench of Supreme Court Justice Suryakant and Justice MM Sundresh said that the petition is pending in the High Court. He asked the ED to approach the High Court. The bench said, the High Court has made observations in an interim order and any oral observation of this court will have no bearing on the matter. The Supreme Court fixed the date of July 4 for the next hearing on the matter. At the start of the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, said that the High Court’s order sets a wrong precedent. Tamil Nadu Electricity and Excise Minister Balaji has been arrested by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with the alleged scam involving giving jobs for money. The alleged scam took place when he was the transport minister in the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government led by the late J Jayalalithaa. The High Court had passed the interim order on a habeas corpus petition filed by Balaji’s wife alleging illegal arrest.
The Supreme Court refuses to interfere with the Madras High Court order allowing Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji to be moved to a private hospital in Chennai and entertain a habeas corpus petition filed against his arrest. Supreme Court to hear the plea filed by Enforcement… pic.twitter.com/2AfnsyrEJ4
— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2023
Bypass surgery of Senthil Balaji
Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthil Balaji underwent bypass surgery at a private hospital here and his blood flow is normal. The private hospital gave this information on Wednesday. According to a medical bulletin issued by Kaveri Hospital, the minister underwent coronary artery bypass surgery of the heart in the morning. Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, co-founder and executive director of Kaveri Group of Hospitals, said in the bulletin, four bypass grafts were installed and coronary revascularization was done. The bulletin said, his blood flow is now normal and he is under the supervision of a team of doctors and nurses in the postoperative intensive care unit. Senthil Balaji was admitted to a government hospital after complaining of chest pain, but was shifted to a private hospital following a court order.