Senthilbalaji played pivotal role in job racket, ED tells SC
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has maintained in the Supreme Court that former Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthilbalaji played a “central and pivotal role” in a “job racket scam” during 2014-15.
A Bench, headed by Justice A.S. Oka, posted the petition led by Mr. Senthilbalaji for regular bail, for hearing on May 6.
The case involves alleged kickbacks for jobs in the Metropolitan Transport Corporation and the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation when Mr. Senthilbalaji was the Minister for Transport.
The Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) was based on three FIRs and a charge-sheet led by the Law Enforcement Agency of the Central Crime Branch of Chennai.
The ED said that bank statements showed cash deposits of ₹1.34 crore in the account of Mr. Senthilbalaji and ₹29.55 lakh in that of S. Megala, his wife. Further, cash deposits of ₹13.13 crore were found with his brother Ashok Kumar, ₹53.89 lakh with his wife, A. Nirmala, and ₹2.19 crore with B. Shanmugam,
a private assistant Senthilbalaji.
“Cash deposits are huge compared to their income disclosed in the income tax returns,” the 93-page a«davit led by the Central agency said.
of Mr.
“Proceeds of crime”
Senior advocate Aryama Sundaram, appearing for Mr. Senthilbalaji, said that his client had been under incarceration for over 150 days.
The ED said that the “huge cash deposits” traced to Mr. Senthilbalaji was “nothing but part of proceeds of crime brought into the nancial system for the purpose of laundering. The proceeds of crime identied in his bank accounts were utilised and layered”.