'Sickness not life-threatening': SC refuses bail to jailed Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji

India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday (Nov 28) denied bail to Indian state of Tamil Nadu’s minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested in an alleged money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate and was seeking bail on medical grounds.

“Your sickness doesn't appear to be serious or life-threatening,” stated the Supreme Court. A Supreme Court bench, comprising of Justices SC Sharma and Bela M Trivedi, permitted Balaji to withdraw his plea which sought medical bail after the court said that it was not convinced regarding his medical condition being “serious” or “life-threatening”.

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SC allows Balaji to seek regular bail from another court

Balaji was allowed by the court to seek regular bail from the appropriate court and stated that the observations recently made by the Madras High Court while refusing his medical bail would not come in the way.

"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," said the bench.

The bench further expressed its disinclination to entertain the matter, after which the bail plea was withdrawn and the court then dismissed the matter as withdrawn. Earlier, the top court had asked Balaji to submit his medical reports on record.

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The high court, while dismissing the bail plea, said that from Balaji’s health report, it did not appear that he had a medical condition which can only be attended if he was released from jail on bail.

On June 14, Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case which was linked to a cash-for-jobs scam, when he held the position of the transport minister in the AIADMK regime.

(With inputs from agencies)