Tamil Nadu Guv dismisses Senthil Balaji without consulting CM Stalin
Tamil Nadu, June 29: In a rare move, Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi dismissed Senthil Balaji from the state cabinet without consulting chief minister MK Stalin on Thursday. The former Tamil Nadu Minister Balaji is accused in a money laundering case.
“Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption including taking cash for jobs and money laundering...Under these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect”, a statement from Raj Bhavan said.
On June 14, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Balaji in connection with a case of money laundering. He is in judicial custody till July 12.
Balaji was hospitalised following his arrest in an alleged cash-for-jobs case from 2014 when he served as the transport minister for the previous AIADMK administration. In 2018, he joined the DMK.
The arrested minister had bypass surgery on June 21 in a private facility in Chennai. The shifting of Balaji to a private hospital had been contested by the ED. The investigation agency had moved the Supreme Court after the Madras High Court granted the DMK leader's request. The high court's order was not overturned by the top court, nonetheless.
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- With inputs from agencies
