HC grants 4 months time to complete probe against ex-minister

The Madras High Court today granted four months time to police to complete the probe into a criminal case pending against former Tamil Nadu minister and AIADMK nominee Senthil Balaji in Aravakurichi assembly constituency where election is to be held on November 19.
A division bench granted the time after perusing the status report filed by the Central Crime Branch Assistant Commissioner of Police in a sealed cover, complying with its October 26 direction.
The court had sought the status report while rejecting the prayer in a petition for a direction to disallow nomination of Senthil Balaji in view of the pending criminal case.

While disposing of the petition, the court had said it would monitor the case and directed police to file the final report within 15 days after the three-month period.
The petitioner alleged that he had given Rs 4.25 crore to Senthil Balaji, when he was the transport minister in the previous AIADMK regime, through his personal assistant for getting jobs to several persons in the department.
He also submitted Balaji had issued a life threat to him when he approached him after the jobs as promised were not given.