Tamil Nadu: Senthil Balaji Admitted To Stanley Medical College Hospital In Chennai

Minister Senthil Balaji was admitted to the state government-run Stanley Medical College Hospital in Chennai early this morning (9 October).

According to a report by DTNext, Balaji experienced sudden chest pain and high blood pressure.

Balaji's judicial custody ends on 13 October. A bail plea filed by him was dismissed by the Principal Sessions Court in Chennai on 20 September.

The ED opposed the bail plea stating that if released, he could influence witnesses and tamper with evidence as he is a minister in the government and had previously held portfolios like Transport, Electricity and Excise.

The court also held that the medical issues faced by Balaji, as mentioned in the bail plea, were not of such nature that they could not be taken care of by doctors at the prison hospital.

Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 14 June in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport minister.

The arrest was followed by a long legal battle which saw a habeas corpus plea by his wife Megala and contentions that the right procedure was not followed during his arrest. Balaji's lawyers also argued that the ED did not have the power to take him into custody.

After his arrest, Balaji was first admitted to the state government run Omandurar Hospital due to chest pain. He was later shifted to the privately run Kauvery Hospital, where he underwent bypass surgery. Subsequently, he was sent to Puzhal prison.