ED files prosecution complaint against Senthil Balaji in cash for jobs scam

ED on August 12 filed the prosecution complaint against the then State Transport Minister for committing the offence of money laundering emanating from the cash for jobs scam in Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai).

Chennai: Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint before Chennai special court against V Senthil Balaji in connection with the cash for jobs scam case.

ED on August 12 filed the prosecution complaint against the then State Transport Minister for committing the offence of money laundering emanating from the cash for jobs scam in Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai).

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The Special Court, Chennai, has taken cognizance of the Prosecution Complaint on August 16.
ED initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of three FIRs registered by the Central Crime Branch (CCB), Chennai in the cash for jobs scam wherein 3 chargesheets have been filed arraying Senthil Balaji as the main accused.

In this case, Supreme Court by order dated May 16, 2023, had directed Tamil Nadu State Police to further investigate and file a supplementary chargesheet within 2 months and allowed ED to proceed with its investigation lifting the stay on investigation vide Madras High Court order dated September 1, 2022.

ED investigation revealed that Senthil Balaji, by abusing his official capacity, along with his brother RV Ashok Kumar, and his personal assistants B Shanmugam and M Karthikeyan, entered into a criminal conspiracy with the then Managing Directors of State Transport Undertakings (STUs) and other officers of transport corporations and obtained illegal gratification from candidates to recruit them as drivers, conductors, junior tradesmen, junior assistants, junior engineer and assistant engineer in the transport corporations.

During the ED investigation, the bank statement analysis revealed that there were huge cash deposits in the bank accounts of accused Senthil Balaji and his wife S Meghala.

Further, ED has collected incriminating evidence indicating the utilisation of proceeds of crime and establishing the nexus and modus operandi of the ‘cash for jobs scam.

During the course of the investigation, Senthil Balaji was confronted with the incriminating evidences but he failed to rebut the same and offer any plausible explanation, instead, he remained non-cooperative and evasive during the investigation proceedings.