Chennai, June 20: A police team from Karur district visited the residence of V. Senthil Balaji, a senior leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and former Minister of Electricity and Excise in Tamil Nadu, on Saturday. This action has intensified discussions in the state’s political circles, as the former minister is already under investigation by multiple agencies.
According to sources, the Karur police team arrived at Senthil Balaji’s home in MRC Nagar to conduct inquiries. However, he was not present at the time of their visit. Reports indicate that the police were also searching for his brother, Ashok, to gather information related to certain cases.
The reason for this police action remains unclear. Neither the Karur district police nor the Tamil Nadu police headquarters has issued an official statement regarding the basis for the inquiries.
Senthil Balaji, considered one of the influential DMK leaders in western Tamil Nadu, has been under scrutiny from various investigative agencies for several years. Investigations into multiple cases linked to his tenure are still ongoing.
Among the most notable is the alleged ‘cash-for-jobs’ scam, currently being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED has previously conducted raids at properties associated with him in this matter.
Additionally, the ED has raided several locations across the state concerning alleged corruption and irregularities within the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac). Recently, the Income Tax Department also searched properties linked to Senthil Balaji’s close associates.
Another issue under investigation involves alleged irregularities in transformer purchases during his tenure as electricity minister. Investigative agencies are looking into claims of potential losses to the state treasury amounting to around ₹400 crores.
Recently, a new controversy emerged when reports surfaced about the disappearance of hard disks containing crucial records from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board headquarters on Anna Salai in Chennai. Based on a complaint, the Chintadripet police have registered a case and initiated an inquiry.
Against this backdrop, the Karur police’s actions on Saturday have sparked speculation about new developments in the cases involving Senthil Balaji. However, police officials have remained silent on the matter, and the true reason for the inquiries has yet to be revealed.
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