SC agrees to hear plea on TN Minister Senthil Balaji’s shifting to private hospital

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear on June 21 a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against an order of the Madras High Court allowing the shifting of arrested Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, who is under medical treatment at a city government hospital, to a private facility.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter before a vacation bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice M M Sundresh seeking urgent hearing.

Mehta told the bench that Balaji is an influential minister and the high court has allowed his transfer to a private hospital. The HC on June 15 allowed the shifting of the minister, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate to a private facility.

The high court, which was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Balaji’s wife, gave the interim order.

It also issued notice to the ED on the main plea of ‘illegal’ arrest of Balaji and posted the matter to June 22. The Tamil Nadu Electricity and Prohibition and Excise minister was arrested by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.