Senthil Balaji Case: Tamil Nadu Govt Seeks Governor's Permission To Start Proceedings
The ED had sent a letter for approval in May, 2025, which was returned with the stipulation that it must be routed through the government.
Published : June 6, 2026 at 5:13 PM IST
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has written to Governor Rajendra V Arlekar, seeking permission to initiate the next phase of legal proceedings in the case registered against former DMK Minister Senthil Balaji.
Balaji served as the transport minister during the AIADMK regime from 2011 to 2016. During this period, he allegedly illegally collected money from several individuals under the pretext of securing them jobs in the transport department.
Based on complaints filed by the victims against Balaji, his brother Ashok Kumar, and his personal assistants P Shanmugam and M Karthikeyan, the Chennai Central Crime Branch police registered a case with charges of cheating (Section 420), abetment, and violations under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and arrested Balaji on June 14, 2023. After spending 15 months in prison, he was released in September 2024 following bail granted by the Supreme Court.
Although the ED has filed a charge sheet in the Special Court, obtaining sanction from the state government is considered necessary because he was a Minister during the period the offence took place.
The ED had sent a letter seeking the Governor's approval in May, 2025. However, the letter was returned with the stipulation that such a request must be routed through the state government. The court proceedings remain pending, as the ED has yet to receive the required permission.
Against this backdrop, the ED has once again written to the state government seeking permission to proceed with the investigation. Reports indicate that the letter was sent to the Lok Bhavan by the government with the concurrence of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay.
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