DMK leader Senthil Balaji gets SC relief in corruption case
What's the story
The Supreme Court has granted relief to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader V Senthil Balaji by staying his arrest in a corruption case. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). This decision comes after the Madras High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition on Thursday.
Court conditions
Balaji directed to submit his passport
The Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and including Justice Joymalya Bagchi, however, directed the former Tamil Nadu minister to submit his passport to the authorities.
This bench was hearing his plea on an urgent basis after Justice V Mohana recused herself from hearing the case earlier in the day.
Legal representation
Lawyers for Balaji argued for an urgent hearing
Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal, Mukul Rohatgi, and Amit Anand Tiwari represented Balaji in the Supreme Court.
They argued for an urgent hearing of his plea after the Madras High Court's decision, as he faced imminent coercive action.
The bench, considering the urgency of the matter, took up their plea at 1:00pm.
Scam details
Allegations in the FIR
The new FIR alleges a large-scale scam in TASMAC, involving the allotment of shops and bars. It claims a cash-kickback scheme worth tens of crores, where bottle supply companies issued fake or inflated bills for distilleries.
TASMAC retail shops allegedly overcharged consumers systematically, collecting amounts above the maximum retail price by ₹10-100 for regular liquor and up to ₹500 for foreign liquor.