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Supreme Court hearing on Senthil Balaji case
A Supreme Court bench of Justices Krishna Murari and V Ramasubramanian overturned a Madras High Court order of 31 October 2022 and directed the Crime Branch to continue its probe against Excise and Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji.
It said that the investigation must be completed in two months and if necessary a Special Investigation Team (SIT) could be constituted.
The High Court had ordered a 'de novo', i.e., fresh investigation to be conducted against the minister.
The bench also allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to continue its probe against Balaji and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The High Court had earlier quashed the ED summons.
Reacting to the order of the Supreme Court, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K Annamalai has said that a fair investigation would not be possible as long as Balaji remains a minister and so he should be removed from the Cabinet.