HC quashes FIR against ex-TN transport minister

The Madras High Court has quashed an FIR against former state Transport Minister V. Senthil Balaji and Rengarajan, Managing Director, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Kumbakonam, on charges of obtaining Rs.61 lakh from 38 people by promising them jobs in the transport corporation in 2014 and cheating them.
Quashing the FIR yesterday, Justice S Vimala of the Court's Madurai bench said there were no material to even doubt the involvement of the former Minister and TNSTC MD.
The judge directed the district crime branch police to register an FIR against complainant, U. Subbaiah, as he had collected the money in his bank account using Balaji's name.

In his petition seeking quashing of the FIR, the former minister claimed that a case should not have been registered against him based on the complaint lodged by Subbaiah as there was no connection between him and the complainant. Subbaiah was not a TNSTC employee and he had lied before the court, counsel for Balaji argued, and sought quashing of the FIR.
Allegations and counter allegations have been made by both against each other.If the former minister as well as the officials were involved in the alleged offence, then the possibility of them having issued fake appointment orders to those who had paid money was remote, the judge said.

Statements of witnesses recorded by police showed that nobody had spoken about Rengarajan or Balaji. On the contrary money had been credited into the account of Subbaiah and there is no material to show to whom it was handed over to, the court said.

The judge also recorded the submission that Subbaiah was absconding since Pudukottai Police registered a case against him under IPC sections 409 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery) and 120b (criminal conspiracy) on August 1.
Subbaiah alleged in his petition that Balaji and the former MD were those involved in the fraud. He sought registration of cases against them.

In his petition, Subbiah claimed that he was working as a technical assistant in TNSTC but it was brought to the notice of the judge that he was only a contract labourer and not a permanent employee.