TMC’s Saugata Roy says TN minister Senthil Balaji’s arrest wrong

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy said on Wednesday that it is totally wrong how the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is being misused by the Central government in response to Tamil Nadu energy minister Senthil Balaji being brought into ED custody although he was clearly ill.

“It is totally wrong how Enforcement Directorate is being misused,” Roy said speaking to the sources. Opposition leaders have criticized the ED’s highhandedness for questioning Balaji for long hours and then taking him into custody in the wee hours of Wednesday after searching his premises on Tuesday.

Senthil Balaji’s arrest by the ED was criticised by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who called it nothing but political harassment and vendetta on the part of the federal government.

“Congress President Shri @kharge condemns the late-night arrest of Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Shri V. Senthil Balaji by the ED. This is nothing but political harassment and vendetta by the Modi govt. against those opposed to it. None of us in the Opposition will be intimidated by such brazen moves,” a press statement released by the Congress stated.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram also said that these raids by the central agencies are only for ‘optics’ and it does not help in collating ‘evidence’.

“All these @dir_ed raids on functionaries of political parties opposed to the @BJP4India are only for optics & voyeuristic pleasure of a few, it in no way aids in collating “evidence” in the “alleged” case. Events of 2016 (ADMK)raids in 2023 in the Secratariat Office, seriously?” he tweeted.

Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji broke down while being taken into custody by the ED officials for questioning in connection to an alleged money laundering case in the early hours of Wednesday.

The ED brought Balaji to Omandurar government hospital in Chennai for medical examination amid tight security when high drama was witnessed outside the hospital. Balaji could be seen crying in pain while lying in the car as his supporters gathered there to protest against the ED action.