HC dismisses PIL to debar ex-minister from election

Chennai: Merely because a first information report (FIR) is pending against former transport minister and current AIADMK candidate for Aravakurichi constituency Senthil Balaji, he cannot be barred from contesting in elections, the Madras high court has said.
The first bench, dismissing a PIL filed by a Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) employee who had allegedly collected 4.25 crore from job aspirants and paid it to the then minister, said: "We are of the view that insofar as the electoral process is concerned, no interference can be caused merely because a FIR is registered against the person.We are, thus, not inclined to grant the relief as prayed for by the petitioner, but feel that we may see the progress of the investigation."
The PIL-petitioner, Baskar of Chennai, said he had handed over 4.25 crore to the ex-minister through his personal assistants for jobs in various transport corporations. Neither jobs were given nor the money was refunded, he claimed, adding that when he insisted that the minister return the money he was arrested on false charges and threatened with dire consequences.
All the affected people had approached the Chennai city commissioner of police on March 8, requesting action against Senthil Balaji. Though CSR was given, nothing else happened, prompting one of them to approach the Madras high court to register his complaint.
After the high court's direction, the case was taken over by the CCB under the supervision of a deputy commissioner of police cadre officer. Since Senthil Balaji had misused his official positions as a minister and indulged in acts of unjust enrichment, he is unfit for public life, he said, seeking a direction to Election Commission not to permit the ex-minister to contest as AIADMK nominee.