Senthil Balaji’s continuation in cabinet does not augur well: Madras HC

The Madras High Court was responding while disposing of a bunch of writ petitions challenging the government's decision to let Senthil Balaji continue as minister in the Cabinet

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Tuesday observed that the continuation of jailed minister V. Senthil Balaji as a member of the Tamil Nadu government without portfolio after his arrest does not augur well with purity of administration and Constitutional ethos.

The court also said that the continuation of Balaji as minister also does not serve any purpose. A bench of the Madras High Court comprising of Chief Justice S.D. Gangapurwala and P.D. Audikesavalu said that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin should be advised to take a decision on continuation of the arrested minister in the Cabinet in the light of the observations made by the court.

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The court was responding while disposing of a bunch of writ petitions challenging the government’s decision to let Senthil Balaji continue as minister in the Cabinet. It is to be noted that Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 14 in a case related to money laundering.

The minister had complained of chest pain immediately after the arrest and was admitted to Oramandur Government hospital, and three blocks in the heart were detected. He was later shifted to Kaveri hospital after Madras High Court allowed his plea to conduct surgery in a private hospital.