ED questions arrested TN minister Senthil Balaji

Chennai, Aug 8 (IANS) Tamil Nadu minister without portfolio, Senthil Balaji who is in judicial custody after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 14 in a money laundering case, is now being questioned by the probe agency.

The Supreme Court upheld Balaji's arrest and allowed the ED to question him for five days from August 8 till August 12.

He has been given him a 200-page questionnaire to fill. The probe officials will be question him regarding the case.

However, the minister will be given rest in regular intervals as he had underwent a coronary bypass surgery after his arrest and is admitted in the hospital at the Puzhal central prison in Chennai.

Notably, the minister was in charge of Power and Excise departments and after the arrest he is devoid of power.  Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has, however, retained him as the minister in the cabinet but without portfolio.

Balaji was arrested in a case related to job for cash while he was serving as a minister in the Jayalalithaa cabinet.

The ED has charged that the minister and his accomplices had taken money from gullible job seekers and promised them jobs in state transport department.