TN CM Stalin hails Senthil Balaji's 'sacrifice

PTI Chennai: Hours after the Supreme Court granted bail to former Tamil Nadu minister V Sentil- Balaji in a money laundering case, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said attempts were made to break the DMK leader's resolve by keeping him behind bars but that he has emerged stronger than ever before. Responding to the SC granting bail to Balaji, Stalin said his "dear brother" got the relief after 471 days. He alleged the Enforcement Directorate, which arrested Balaji last year, was being used to 'suppress' the opposition but "the Supreme Court alone has been the dawn." "The prison life did not extend for so many days even during the Emergency. The political conspiracies continued for 15 months (against Balaji).

They tried to break SenthilBalaji's resolve by keeping him inside the prison," Stalin said in a post on 'X.' "I welcome brotherSenthilBalaji, who is walking out of the prison with more vigour. Your sacrifice is big. Your resolve is bigger," the DMK president added. Hours after the Supreme Court granted him bail in a money laundering case, former Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader V SenthilBalaji was released from the Puzhal prison here on Thursday. The bail order ended his 471-day incarceration, as Balaji was arrested on June 14, 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a cash-for-jobs scam when he was the Transport minister in an earlier AIADMK regime.

While his multiple bail pleas were rejected by a local court in Chennai and the Madras High Court during this period, the apex court granted him the relief on Thursday, while putting onerous bail conditions. DMK Organising Secretary R S Bharathi and other party functionaries received Balaji when he walked out of the prison to a rapturous welcome by his supporters, who had thronged in huge numbers to receive him. They showered flower petals on Balaji and raised slogans hailing him.

PTI Karur, PTI: Supporters of DMK local strongman and former Tamil Nadu minister, V SenthilBalaji, on Thursday celebrated the Supreme Court granting him bail in a money laundering case. Local DMK workers and Balaji's supporters burst crackers and raised slogans hailing the former minister. Some party workers enthusiastically waved DMK flags. The apex court on Thursday granted bail to Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate last year in connection with a money laundering case.A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih put onerous conditions while granting relief.

Balaji was arrested on June 14 last year by the ED in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged cash-forjobs scam when he was the transport minister in an earlier AIADMK government. The ED had on August 12 last year filed a 3,000-page charge sheet against Balaji.On October 19, the high court had dismissed Balaji's earlier bail plea. A local court has also dismissed his bail petitions thrice.