Senthilbalaji money laundering case: Trial has commenced, ED tells Madras High Court
The Hindu
ED informs Madras High Court trial in money laundering case against former Minister Senthilbalaji has commenced, adjourned to August 28.
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Wednesday, (August 21, 2024) informed the Madras High Court that the trial in the money laundering case against former Minister V. Senthilbalaji has commenced before the Principal District and Sessions Court in Chennai and one of the prosecution witnesses had already been examined.
A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and V. Sivagnanam recorded the submission made by Additional Solicitor General AR.L. Sundaresan, assisted by ED Special Public Prosecutor N. Ramesh, and adjourned a criminal revision petition filed by the Minister, to discharge him from the case, to August 28.
The adjournment was granted at the instance of the petitioner’s counsel on record who sought time for the appearance of a designated senior counsel to argue the matter. The judges, however, made it clear that the trial could proceed without any impediment related to the pendency of the present revision petition.
Opposing the plea for discharge, the ASG told the court that the question of discharge would not arise after the commencement of trial. He said, the first prosecution witness was scheduled to be cross examined on Thursday (August 22, 2024) and therefore the discharge plea had become infructuous.
Concurring with him, the judges also told the petitioner’s counsel that there would be no point in hearing the discharge petition after the commencement of trial. However, since the lawyer pleaded for granting some time for the appearance of a senior counsel, the Bench adjourned the matter by a week.
The revision petition was filed against the Principal Sessions Court’s July 18, 2024 order refusing to discharge the former Minister from the case. After the Division Bench ordered notice to the ED in the revision plea on August 7, the sessions court had framed charges against the accused and commenced trial.
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