Stalin meets Senthil Balaji in hospital, says DMK will not be cowed down by BJP's intimidation

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday met his cabinet colleague V Senthil Balaji at Omandurar government hospital where he was taken for medical examination after the minister was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged money laundering case.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin arrives at Omandurar government hospital to meet state minister Senthil Balaji, in Chennai

Balaji was admitted to the hospital after he was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate, in connection with a money laundering case. pic.twitter.com/gjXKzO7XwS

— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2023

Stalin stepped up his attack on the BJP over the arrest, saying the minister will face the case legally, and so will the party. He charged the ED officials of “enacting a drama” in the name of enquiry and accused them of “physically and mentally troubling” Balaji. “They had pressured him to the point of him suffering a chest pain,” Stalin alleged in a statement, hours after the ED arrested Balaji following raids at his premises and hours long questioning since Tuesday. According to DMK leaders, Balaji complained of chest pain while being taken into custody by the ED officials. They also said that Balaji didn’t seem conscious when he was taken to the hospital by ED. In a video posted by ANI on Twitter, the minister can be seen crying in pain as he is pulled out of the car at the hospital.

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DMK MP and lawyer NR Elango said that the minister has been shifted to ICU and ED has officially not confirmed Balaji’s arrest. “I saw him (Senthil Balaji) when he was shifted to ICU. Doctors are evaluating his health condition. It is a procedure when a person says he has been assaulted the doctor needs to note down all the injuries and will know after seeing the report. Officially we have not been informed (by ED) that he has been arrested,” Elango said. The Chief Minister said ED officials grilled the minister till 2 am before taking Balaji to a hospital and he is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) right now.

Till 2 am, they kept pressuring him and then took him to the hospital. Now he's admitted to ICU. Even after he said that he will cooperate in the investigation, why did they torture him? We can clearly see the wrong intentions of those who sent these officials. They acted in an… https://t.co/O5A732wQaL

— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2023

He questioned the need for such a long probe even after Balaji assuring full cooperation to the probe and asked “if such an inhumane action by the ED officials is warranted”. “The cruel intentions of those that had deployed the officials is evident from this,” Stalin charged. He reiterated his stringent criticism of the BJP, saying it was using such investigating agencies against its political rivals. “That is the only way they know.” “Whatever the case is, Senthil Balaji will face it legally. We will firmly continue with our political stand. The DMK will face the case legally with resolve,” the Chief Minister said. “DMK will not be cowed down by BJP’s intimidation. People are watching such oppression and will give a befitting reply in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” he added. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.