SC refuses to cancel Senthilbalaji’s bail as he steps down as TN minister

NEW DELHI: After being informed that DMK leader V Senthilbalaji has stepped down as Tamil Nadu minister and that his resignation has been accepted by the Governor, the Supreme Court on Monday disposed of applications seeking to cancel the bail granted to him in a money laundering case related to the 'cash-for-jobs' case.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih perused a press release of the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan, which the state government submitted in court and refused to accept the Enforcement Directorate's plea to bar Balaji from holding the post till trial in the case was over.

"A press release is handed over to us, which records that he has tendered his resignation, which has been accepted by the Honourable Governor. Therefore, now there is no occasion to entertain this application," the bench said.

The apex court on April 23 asked Balaji to make a choice "between post and freedom" as it warned him of cancelling bail if he did not step down as minister in Tamil Nadu.

It took exception to the fact that Balaji was reinstated as a cabinet minister days after getting bail in a money laundering case related to the 'cash-for-job' scam.

On September 26, 2024, the top court granted bail to Balaji, who had spent over 15 months in jail and observed there was no possibility of the completion of the trial shortly.

Balaji, 48, was sworn in as a minister by Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on September 29, last year and was assigned the same key portfolios — electricity, non-conventional energy development, prohibition and excise — he held previously in the Stalin cabinet.