Chennai:

The reinstatement last week of money-laundering accused DMK leader V Senthil Balaji as Tamil Nadu’s Electricity, Excise, and Prohibition Minister has prompted a rival politician to lob the ‘washing machine’ jibe at the ruling party. Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S Ramadoss declared the process of “whitening” Mr Balaji already begun, and also hit out at Chief Minister MK Stalin for hailing Mr Balaji’s “sacrifice”.

“If Senthil Balaji made a ‘sacrifice’… are those who lost money traitors? Chief Minister Stalin should be an ‘impartial judge’ for seven crore people… not (act) as (the) lawyer for an accused,” he said, sneering “I doubt there will be a fair trial” and demanding the case be transferred out of Tamil Nadu.

Mr Ramadoss – whose PMK is part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance – also slammed Mr Stalin, accusing him of “spoiling youngsters’ future” by shielding Mr Balaji.

The DMK has dismissed S Ramadoss’ comments, which come after Chief Minister Stalin welcomed Mr Balaji’s release from prison by tweeting, “… your sacrifice is big and strength even bigger…”

ஆருயிர் சகோதரர் @V_Senthilbalaji அவர்களுக்கு 471 நாட்களுக்குப் பிறகு, உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தால் பிணை கிடைத்திருக்கிறது.

அமலாக்கத் துறையானது, அரசியல் எதிரிகளை ஒடுக்கும் துறையாக மாற்றப்பட்ட தற்போதைய சூழலில், அதற்கு உச்சநீதிமன்றம் ஒன்றே விடியலாக இருக்கிறது.

எமர்ஜென்சி காலத்தில் கூட…

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 26, 2024

The DMK has said it is not shielding Mr Balaji and that he will defend himself in court when needed.

Mr Stalin earlier had taken a swipe of his own at the BJP, re-floating opposition parties’ repeated claim that the party in power at the centre uses federal agencies, like the ED, to target rival leaders, stating, “The Supreme Court is the only hope while ED has become a ‘ministry’ to oppress political opponents.”

READ | “BJP Like Washing Machine For Corruption Accused…”: Sharad Pawar

The ‘washing machine’ remark is usually used to target the BJP for inducting rival leaders who may face corruption charges while with opposition parties, but find these waived when they join the BJP.

In this case, the Enforcement Directorate has accused Mr Balaji of money laundering in connection with an alleged cash-for-jobs scam dating back to 2011-2016; he was then the Transport Minister in the state government led by late AIADMK matriarch and ex Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

Specifically, he is accused of receiving – from Rs 1.75 lakh to Rs 12 lakh – in bribes for jobs in the state Transport Department. He was arrested for alleged money laundering amid high drama in June last year, which included being advised cardiac surgery shortly after being taken into custody.

READ | Ex Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji Gets Bail In Cash-For-Jobs Case

Last week he was granted bail by the Supreme Court after it flagged his lengthy imprisonment.

Mr Balaji joined the DMK in 2018, in the presence of Mr Stalin.

READ | Udhayanidhi Stalin Is MK Stalin’s Deputy, Senthil Balaji Back In Cabinet

And on Sunday Mr Balaji was back in the Tamil Nadu government, reclaiming the three portfolios he had surrendered in February amid pressure from the Madras High Court in the form of strong observations – that his continuation as a minister, while in jail, is untenable. The reinstatement, many said, was a message to the BJP – that the DMK continues to support its senior leader.

The DMK has pointed out action against Mr Balaji came after the Karnataka election that saw the BJP lose the only southern state in its control. The Congress, an ally of the DMK, won the election.

The DMK said the BJP targeted its leader to offset the panic caused by the loss.

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Chennai:

Former Tamil Nadu transport minister Senthil Balaji left Chennai’s Puzhal Central Prison on Thursday evening, hours after the Supreme Court granted him bail, sparking speculation over whether he would be reinducted into the state cabinet. 

Mr Balaji had been behind bars for 15 months, accused of money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate for his alleged involvement in the alleged cash-for-jobs scam that occurred during the AIADMK regime under late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Although Mr Balaji still has a long legal battle ahead, the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu is celebrating his release as as a moral and legal victory. Hundreds of DMK cadre welcomed the former minister outside the jail with drumbeats, rose petals, crackers, and party flags, sending a message that the party stands with him. The DMK has alleged several times that the ED and other central agencies have been targeting leaders in states ruled by the Opposition, a charge that has been denied by the BJP.

Mr Balaji was arrested in June 2023 and resigned as a minister in February this year after the Madras High Court advised Chief Minister MK Stalin to rethink his decision of retaining him in the cabinet. The high court had also denied him bail multiple times but the Supreme Court’s granted it, saying “stringent and higher threshold of bail and delay in prosecution cannot go together”.

After his former Cabinet colleague got bail, Mr Stalin said, “Even during the Emergency, the duration of imprisonment was not this long… You have made a huge sacrifice and have emerged even stronger, though they tried to weaken you. I welcome you.”

Mr Stalin is set to meet Prime Minister Modi in Delhi on Friday and there has been a buzz that the chief minister may include Mr Balaji in the cabinet again. Responding to a question on this, DMK Spokesperson A Saravanan said, “There is nothing to disqualify him. It is the chief minister’s prerogative”.