Madras HC dismisses Senthil Balaji's plea against lower court's refusal to discharge him in PMLA case

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed as withdrawn, a petition filed by former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, challenging an order of a sessions court that refused to discharge him from a money laundering case.

A division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and V Sivagnanam dismissed as withdrawn, the petition filed by the DMK leader, after an endorsement was made by his counsel to withdraw it.

In its brief order, the bench said the criminal revision petition has been instituted challenging the order of rejection of discharge petition. It was brought to the notice of this court that the charges were framed on August 8, 2024 and a Prosecution Witness was examined on August 16 and that the cross-examination was in progress.

Balaji's counsel submitted that since the trial had commenced, the petitioner was not inclined to pursue this petition. An endorsement was made to withdraw it. Therefore, the petition was dismissed as withdrawn, the bench added.

Balaji was arrested on June 14, 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate in a cash-for-jobs scam when he was the transport minister (2011-15) during the then AIADMK regime.

The agency had on August 12, 2023 filed a charge-sheet, running to 3,000 pages against Balaji.

The Sessions Court and the Madras High Court have dismissed multiple bail petitions filed by him.