The ED brought Mr Balaji to Omandurar government hospital in Chennai for a medical examination.
Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader V Senthil Balaji broke down in tears when he was being taken to a hospital by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Wednesday morning. The minister was being questioned in connection with an alleged money laundering case.
The ED on Tuesday raided the premises Mr Balaji in connection with the probe. Following the raid, the ED took Mr Balaji for questioning which lasted for 18 hours.
On Wednesday, the ED brought Mr Balaji to Omandurar government hospital in Chennai for a medical examination. The scene outside the hospital was one of high drama. The DMK leader, brought to the hospital in an ambulance, was seen lying in pain and crying inside the vehicle as his supporters stood outside shouting slogans against the probe agency.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji breaks down as ED officials took him into custody in connection with a money laundering case and brought him to Omandurar Government in Chennai for medical examination pic.twitter.com/aATSM9DQpu
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2023
DMK MP and lawyer NR Elango said on Tuesday that Mr Balaji has been shifted to the ICU of the hospital, adding that the ED has not officially confirmed the arrest.
“I saw him (Mr Balaji) when he was shifted to ICU. Doctors are evaluating his health condition. It is a procedure when a person says he has been assaulted the doctor needs to note down all the injuries and will know after seeing the report. Officially we have not been informed (by ED) that he has been arrested,” Mr Elango said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
“Senthil Balaji is undergoing treatment,” said Tamil Nadu Sports Minister and DMK Youth Wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin “We will deal with it legally. We are not afraid of the threatening politics of the BJP-led central government.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin slammed the BJP-led central government for the raids on Mr Balaji and said the party is resorting to “politics of intimidation”.
The ED on Tuesday conducted raids at Mr Balaji’s residence, his office at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat and the premises of his brother and a close aide in Karur district. Chief Minister Stalin condemned the searches at the Secretariat, saying that the BJP’s “politics of threatening their political rivals through backdoor tactics” will not work.
“BJP leadership is enacting ‘politics of intimidation’. BJP’s bid to intimidate through backdoor tactics like ED raids won’t work,” Mr Stalin said as quoted by news agency PTI.
Mr Stalin further said that conducting a raid at the Secretariat is a violation of the federal structure of the country. He said that it does not matter who was raided, but rather that the raid was conducted in a state government office, signalling a clear attempt by the central government to interfere in the affairs of a state government, which is against the principles of federalism.
“It doesn’t matter on whom the raid was conducted, but it matters where the raid was carried out. Union Home Minister has severely criticised DMK in a public meeting in Vellore, and we gave proper counter-argument to all the allegations. Conducting a raid in the Secretariat is against the federal structure,” Mr Stalin said.
A native of Karur district, Mr Balaji is the Minister of Electricity, Prohibition and Excise, and the Karur District Secretary of the DMK.
Source link: https://www.ndtv.com/tamil-nadu-news/on-camera-tamil-nadu-minister-breaks-down-in-probe-agency-custody-4119308