Minister V Senthil Balaji breaks down on arrest by ED

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji was overcome with emotion as he was taken into custody by officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday night. The arrest was made in connection with a money laundering case, and Balaji was subsequently brought to Omandurar Government Hospital in Chennai for a medical examination. According to officials, he was apprehended under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had initiated a money laundering investigation, leading to searches conducted against Balaji and several others across multiple cities. Among the locations raided by the ED officials was Balaji's office room at the Secretariat in Chennai. Following the arrest, DMK Rajya Sabha MP NR Elango expressed concern, stating, "Balaji was picked up by the ED and brought to Omandurar Government Hospital. It appears that he was unconscious upon admission. We believe this arrest to be completely illegal and unconstitutional. We intend to challenge it legally."