ED can seek Senthil Balaji's custody: HC upholds arrest

The Madras high court on Friday upheld the arrest of Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and his subsequent remand in judicial custody by a sessions court in a money laundering case over an alleged cash-for-jobs scam.

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Justice CV Karthikeyan, the third judge to whom the matter was referred to after a bench of justices Nisha Banu and D Bharatha Chakravarthy delivered a split verdict, ruled in favour of ED.

Hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Balaji's wife S Megala on July 4, Justice Banu held that ED is not entrusted with the powers to take custody of Balaji.

Justice Chakravarthy, however, held that the habeas corpus petition is not maintainable and ED was entitled to the custody. The matter was then referred to a third judge.

Hearing the matter on Friday, Justice Karthikeyan endorsed the view of Justice Chakravarthy.