‘Vendetta politics’, ‘misuse of probe agencies’: Opposition targets Centre over Senthil Balaji’s arrest

In a statement, Kharge said, “This is nothing but political harassment and vendetta by the Modi government against those opposed to it. None of us in the Opposition will be intimidated by such brazen moves.”

Congress President Shri @kharge condemns the late-night arrest of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Shri V. Senthil Balaji by the ED.

This is nothing but political harassment and vendetta by the Modi govt. against those opposed to it. None of us in the Opposition will be… pic.twitter.com/RLzKDae5cA

— Congress (@INCIndia) June 14, 2023

Senthil Balaji was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday after an 18-hour interrogation, and multiple searches conducted by the ED across different parts of Chennai and Tamil Nadu in connection with an alleged money laundering case related to a job racket. Soon after his arrest, the minister broke down and was taken to the Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital after he complained of chest pain.

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, who visited Balaji at the hospital, said that the party was not scared of BJP’s “intimidation” tactics, and said that the minister will face the case legally.

“DMK will not be cowed down by BJP’s intimidation. People are watching such oppression and will give a befitting reply in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” he said in a statement.

He charged the ED officials of “enacting a drama” in the name of inquiry and accused them of “physically and mentally troubling” Balaji. “…They had pressured him to the point of him suffering a chest pain,” he added.

விசாரணைக்கு முழு ஒத்துழைப்பு தருகிறேன் என்று சொன்ன பிறகும் அமைச்சர் செந்தில் பாலாஜிக்கு நெஞ்சு வலி ஏற்படும் வகையில் சித்ரவதை கொடுத்த அமலாக்கத்துறையின் நோக்கம் என்ன?

வழக்கிற்குத் தேவையான சட்ட நடைமுறைகளை மீறி மனிதநேயமற்ற முறையில் அமலாக்கத்துறை அதிகாரிகள் நடந்து கொண்டிருப்பது… pic.twitter.com/D2EIs5vvWN

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) June 14, 2023

Meanwhile, condemning the arrest, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called it “part of the continued attack on India’s opposition”. In a statement released by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadda, the party said the manner in which Balaji was arrested is “inhumane” and “raises serious concerns about the working methods of the ED”.

“We stand in solidarity with Balaji and all those opposition leaders who have been victims of BJP’s undemocratic targeting,” AAP said.

Our party’s statement on the inhuman treatment meted out to Tamil Nadu’s Electricity Minister Thiru. V Senthil Balaji and his late-night arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. pic.twitter.com/FXoe4bq60L

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) June 14, 2023

Speaking to news agency ANI, National Congress Party (NCP)’s Supriya Sule said she was “not surprised at all”, while Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, accused the central probe agency of dismissing his complaints against BJP leaders.

“We keep sending complaints against their (BJP) people, with evidence. When will the probe against them start?… I sent complaint against 3 ministers of Maharashtra to ED, on money laundering, I have not even received a reply…why there are no raids against them?” Raut questioned.

BJP’s response to DMK’s allegations

Soon after MK Stalin lashed out at the BJP, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai asked the chief minister why he was playing the “victim card”. Annamalai shared a video of Stalin speaking about Balaji (who was earlier in the AIADMK), and the jobs-for-cash scam many years ago and asked if the CM will “refute” his earlier statement.

A gentle reminder to Thiru @mkstalin on what he spoke a few years back about the #CashForJobScam tainted Thiru Senthil Balaji.

Are you going to refute this, Thiru @mkstalin?

Why are you playing victim card today? https://t.co/ybFUtqrFov pic.twitter.com/c1YeCyhvFn

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) June 14, 2023

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu BJP and AIADMK have called for Balaji’s dismissal from the DMK. State BJP vice-president Narayan Thirupathy said CM MK Stalin should ask Balaji to cooperate with the probe agency else the party will become a laughing stock.

“He (Balaji) is accused of taking money to give government jobs to ordinary citizens and there is a lot of accusations against him. It is a complete drama by DMK… ED called Senthil Balaji for interrogation, he is a minister, and it’s his duty to cooperate with the investigation,” in a video shared by news agency ANI.

The case in which Balaji has been arrested is linked to a job-for-cash scam in the state’s transport department, which allegedly occurred during his tenure as Transport minister in the AIADMK regime from 2011-16.

AIADMK leader D Jayakumar accused the DMK of diverting the issue by “creating drama”. “…Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji is doing drama. They (DMK) are trying to divert the issue by doing this. CM Stalin should remove the minister from his cabinet. If CM doesn’t remove the minister, then Governor should intervene in this matter,” he said.

The case against Balaji was booked in March 2021, on the eve of the Assembly elections, when Chennai police filed a chargesheet against Balaji and 46 others, which included senior retired and serving officers of various transport corporations. The charges related to a recruitment scam that shook the state in 2014-15.

Last month, the Supreme Court cleared the way for an investigation, overriding a previous decision by the Madras High Court on September 1, 2022, dismissing ED summons sent to Balaji and others concerning a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case.