Delhi: In a significant relief to former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, the Supreme Court on Monday relaxed multiple stringent bail conditions imposed on him in the Enforcement Directorate’s money-laundering investigation linked to the alleged cash-for-jobs scam.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi questioned the practicality and necessity of demanding Balaji’s physical appearance before the ED twice every week in Chennai, calling the requirement unreasonable.
“Why should this man appear before the Deputy Director of the Enforcement Directorate every Monday and Friday? At least spare your own officer from the harassment of waiting for him twice a week,” the bench remarked during the hearing.
Court: Balaji Need Not Appear Twice Weekly
The court ruled that Balaji will only need to appear before the ED whenever specifically summoned, and the agency must issue advance notice before requiring his presence.
It also relaxed the earlier mandate requiring the former minister to attend every single hearing in the trial court. Instead, judges said the trial court may grant exemptions “on merits” whenever Balaji files a proper request.
Arguments from Both Sides
Appearing for the ED, advocate Zoheb Hussain argued that the original conditions were imposed due to concerns about Balaji’s influence and the potential risk of witness tampering.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Balaji, countered that the former minister had already cooperated extensively, appearing before the ED 116 times since being granted bail last year. He stressed that the investigation is complete and the charge sheet has been filed, making the weekly attendance “pointless.”
Another counsel, Pranav Sachdeva, representing one of the complainants, opposed relaxation of conditions, saying Balaji is an “influential figure” who could misuse his position.
Background
Balaji was arrested in connection with allegations that government jobs were sold for cash when he served as Transport Minister in Tamil Nadu. He was granted bail on September 26 last year after spending more than 15 months in custody, with the court noting that the trial was unlikely to conclude soon.
On November 14, the Supreme Court agreed to review his plea seeking modification of two bail conditions that required frequent appearances before both the ED and local police.
