Months after ED arrest, Senthil Balaji quits as minister

Chennai, Feb 13 (PTI) After remaining as a minister without portfolio for months following his arrest by the ED, V Senthil Balaji has quit the MK Stalin-led state Cabinet and his resignation has been accepted by Governor R N Ravi.

A Raj Bhavan release said Governor Ravi, who had earlier opposed the continuance of Balaji in the Cabinet, has accepted Stalin’s recommendation in this connection.

Based on a letter from the CM dated February 12, recommending acceptance of the resignation of the jailed DMK leader, the “Governor has approved the recommendation and accepted the resignation of Thiru V Senthil Balaji, Minister, from the Council of Ministers,” the release said.

Balaji, a DMK strongman from Karur, was arrested on June 14, 2023, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here in a cash-for-jobs scam when he was Transport Minister in an earlier AIADMK regime. He is currently lodged in the Puzhal prison.

His multiple bail petitions have been dismissed by the courts so far.

Two days after his arrest last year, the portfolios held by Balaji then–Electricity, Non-Conventional Energy Development and Prohibition and Excise, Molasses were re-allocated to others in the Stalin-led Cabinet.

Governor Ravi had then objected to Balaji being minister without a portfolio, saying he was facing criminal proceedings.

Balaji represents the Karur segment in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.