JE News Desk: After Madras High Court delivered a split verdict on the Habeas Corpus plea filed by arrested Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji's wife for his release in a case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Supreme Court asked the high court to place the matter before the three-judge bench at the earliest.
On Tuesday, a division bench of Madras High Court comprising justices J Nisha Banu and D Bharatha Chakravarthy gave the ruling on the plea filed by Balaji's wife against her husband's "illegal detention".
A bench of justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta told the Madras High Court chief justice that the habeas corpus petition of Balaji should be decided by a new bench expeditiously. The bench also kept the ED's plea pending before it and posted it for hearing on July 24.
The High Court judgement permitting Senthil Balaji to be transferred to a private hospital in Chennai and considering a habeas corpus plea filed against his arrest has been challenged by the ED earleir in an appeal to the top court.
"The Solicitor General has at the outset pointed out that the division bench has delivered a split verdict and thus we request the Chief Justice of Madras High Court to place the matter before the larger bench at the earliest and further request to the assigned bench to decide the case as early as possible," the bench stated in its order, as reported by ANI.
Senthil Balaji Arrest
The Minister for Electricity as well as Prohibition and Excise, Balaji, was arrested on June 14 by the central probe agency ED on charges of money laundering in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam. He was arrested after ED concluded the raid at his residence. The agency carried out raids at Karur's residence in Balaji and his office at the state secretariat.
On the same day, Balaji was admitted to a government hospital in Chennai after he complained of chest pain. On June 15, he was allowed by the Madras High Court to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice.
(With Agencies Inputs)