ED approaches Vijay government for sanction to prosecute DMK's Senthil Balaji in cash-for-jobs case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has formally approached the newly elected Tamil Nadu government led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, seeking mandatory sanction to prosecute DMK leader and former minister V. Senthil Balaji in a high-profile money laundering case linked to an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in the AIADMK government between 2011 and 2016.

In a three-page letter dated May 15, addressed to Chief Secretary M. Saikumar, the ED enclosed all relevant evidence, a confidential investigation note, and a copy of its prosecution complaint filed before the Special PMLA court in Chennai. The ED invoked Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which mandates prior approval from the competent government authority before prosecuting a public servant for acts committed during their tenure in office.

The agency also flagged "deliberate delays" in granting prosecution sanction during the previous regime, noting that its earlier request routed through the Governor's office was returned without approval. The move marks a significant early legal test for the TVK government, which must now decide whether to grant or withhold the sanction.