Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji arrested by ED admitted in ICU DMK made allegations of torture
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Tamil Nadu Minister P Sekar Babu spoke to the media regarding the condition of Senthil Balaji.
Tamil Nadu Power Minister V Senthil Balaji was arrested after the Enforcement Directorate raided his house. It is reported that Balaji has been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He is likely to be produced before a special court later in the day, where the agency will seek his custody.
Earlier on Wednesday morning, he was admitted to the ICU of a government hospital. DMK leaders alleged that Balaji had complained of uneasiness after the raids on his premises. State minister PK Sekar Babu said that seeing Balaji's condition, it seemed as if he had been tortured.
On the other hand, while the ED informed about Balaji's arrest after a long time, the DMK's lawyers, who visited Balaji in the hospital, also denied any clarity in the matter. Balaji was also shown crying in the video that surfaced of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister being taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, the Central Paramilitary Force personnel were deployed in the hospital where Balaji was admitted.
P Sekar Babu spoke to the media regarding the condition of Senthil Balaji. He said that the Power Minister has been kept in the ICU right now. He is unconscious and is not responding even when his name is called. He has a swelling near his ear. Doctors say that there are lot of ups and downs in his ECG too. Babu alleges that Balaji has been tortured.
DMK ministers sought answers from ED
Simultaneously, State Law Minister S Raghupathi also reached the hospital to see Balaji. However, he also said that nothing was clear about the arrest. He also questioned the ED's raid on Balaji's house which lasted for hours. DMK's lawyers demanded that ED officials clarify immediately whether Balaji has been arrested or not.
Tamil Nadu Health Minister M Subramanian and state Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin reached the government hospital late at night to meet Power Minister Senthil Balaji. Talking to the media here, Udhayanidhi Stalin said that Senthil Balaji is undergoing treatment. We will take legal help in this matter. He said that we are not going to be intimidated by the threatening politics of the BJP-led central government. At the same time, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Raghupathi said that Senthil Balaji was targeted and tortured. ED officials kept questioning him continuously for 24 hours. This is completely against human rights. ED should answer this.
Why did ED raid Tamil Nadu minister's premises?
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday raided the premises linked to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) stalwart Balaji, who hails from Karur district, in connection with a money laundering probe. The action comes months after the Supreme Court permitted the police and ED to probe the alleged 'cash-for-job' scam against Balaji. The ED on Tuesday raided premises linked to Balaji in Chennai, Karur and Erode as part of its money laundering probe.
