SC denies medical bail to DMK Minister Balaji
Says there’s nothing serious in his health condition and granted liberty to Balaji to approach trial court to seek regular bail
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain the bail plea of DMK Minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, saying his sickness does not appear to be “serious or life-threatening”.
Balaji was seeking bail on health grounds. The top court was hearing an appeal against an order of the Madras High Court which dismissed his bail plea on October 19, saying he was likely to influence witnesses if enlarged on bail. An apex court bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and SC Sharma, after perusing the health reports, said there was nothing serious in his health condition and granted liberty to Balaji to approach trial court to seek regular bail.
“Any observation made in the interim order against the petitioner on merits shall not come in the way of the petitioner in filing regular bail application,” the bench said. At the outset, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Balaji, requested the court to allow Balaji’s application and referred to a condition called chronic lacunar infarction.
