Senthil Balaji bail plea denied, ED summons DMK leader's brother, wife for questioning next week | Mint

 

Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji appeared before a Chennai court on Friday via videoconferencing. The local court granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) 8 days custody of the Tamil Nadu Minister, who was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the agency on 14 June.

Senthil Balaji's bail plea was rejected by the local court. Balaji's counsel A Saravanan said the court has made it clear to the ED that Balaji cannot be shifted out of the hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment for heart-related issue.

Meanwhile, the ED has also summoned Senthil Balaji's brother R V Ashok Kumar, personal assistant B Shanmugam and others for questioning next week in an alleged cash-for-jobs linked money laundering case.

The two, along with some other accused and a woman who is suspected to be linked to an alleged 'benami' land deal related to the minister, have been called for recording their statements under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

They have been asked to depose before the agency at its office here on different dates next week.

The court was informed that Senthil Balaji was set to undergo bypass surgery in "3-5 days," and certain drugs he has been prescribed have been stopped to facilitate the procedure.
Senthil Balaji money laundering case

Senthil Balaji was arrested by the ED on Wednesday in connection with a cash for jobs scam dating back to the earlier Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK regime where he was transport minister.

The ED had earlier claimed that Balaji allegedly "misused" his office for illegal gratification and "engineered" a job racket scam in the state's transport undertakings during 2014-15 with purported kickbacks paid by candidates through his associates who included Kumar and Shanmugam.

Calling the minister the "prime suspect" in the cash-for-jobs case, the federal probe agency also stated in its custody papers that alleged unaccounted cash deposits worth about ₹1.60 crore were made in the bank accounts of Balaji and his wife.

It is alleged that he along with Kumar, Shanmugam and another person, identified as M Karthikeyan, "conspired" with the managing directors of all state transport undertakings and other officers of transport corporations to obtain "illegal gratification" from candidates to recruit them as drivers, conductors, junior assistants, junior engineer and assistant engineer in the transport corporation during 2014-15.

The "entire appointment process was made in a fraudulent and dishonest manner and only in accordance with the lists provided by Shanmugam, R V Ashok Kumar, M Karthikeyan, as per the directions of Balaji", the ED had alleged.

These four are alleged to have collected money from the candidates "on behalf of Balaji" for issuing appointment orders. It is also alleged that the candidates who paid the money "neither got appointment orders nor their money back".

The ED filed a case of money laundering in September 2021 to probe these allegations and its complaint is based on three Tamil Nadu Police FIRs filed during 2018 and some later years by some of those who failed to get the promised jobs.

(With PTI inputs)

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Updated: 16 Jun 2023, 08:25 PM IST

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Berlin court gives custody of Indian child Ariha to German state; parents react

 

A Berlin court on Friday ruled that the custody of Indian baby Ariha would be granted to the German state as it rejected the parents' claim that their child's injury was accidental. The court said that its decision is in the "best interests of the child".
Baby Ariha custody case: Parents' reaction

Following the verdict, Ariha's parents issued a statement expressing their trust in the Indian government and their belief that India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar would work towards repatriating Ariha back to India.

They stated, "From today, we entrust Ariha to the 1.4 billion citizens of Bharat (India)."

Ariha Shah, who is now over 20 months old, has been in foster care in Germany since September 23, 2021, when she was only seven months old.

German authorities had accused Dhara and Bhavesh Shah, Ariha's parents, of mistreating her, which led to her placement in state-sponsored foster care.
India's reaction

India's foreign ministry has been involved in the case since 2022.

India has previously asked Germany to send baby Ariha back to the country at the earliest, asserting that it is important for the child to be in her linguistic, religious, cultural and social environment.

"We are dismayed to learn that the child was abruptly shifted away from her current foster parent to a specialised foster care arrangement. The manner in which this shift was carried out is a matter of concern. We and the parents believe that this rapid change is not in the child's best interest and could have far-reaching consequences for her emotional and mental development," Arindam Bagchi, External Affairs Ministry's spokesperson had said.

He further stated, "We would like to reiterate that Ariha Shah is an Indian national and her nationality and socio-cultural background is the most important determinant of where her foster care is to be provided. We urge German authorities to do all that is necessary to send Ariha to India at the earliest, which is also her inalienable right as an Indian national. We remain committed to ensuring the return of Ariha Shah to India."

Also watch | Row over repatriation of Ariha Shah, taken by Germany govt from parents in 2021

Recently, 59 Members of Parliament from 19 political parties signed a joint letter to Philipp Ackerman, the German ambassador in New Delhi.

The letter urged Ambassador Ackerman to take all necessary measures to facilitate the swift repatriation of Ariha Shah to India.

Notable signatories include India's principal opposition party Indian National Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Shashi Tharoor. From the ruling party, the signatories include actor-turned-politician Hema Malini and Maneka Gandhi.

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