Senthil Balaji’s Brother Ashok Kumar Appears in Court After Being Absconding for Over 1.5 Years in Money Laundering Case
In a significant development in the money laundering case, former Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji’s brother Ashok Kumar, who had been absconding for over one and a half years, appeared before the Principal Sessions Court in Chennai today (April 7).
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Senthil Balaji in 2023 in connection with a cash-for-job scam during his tenure in the Transport Department. He was accused of collecting bribes in return for job placements. The Supreme Court, in September last year, granted him conditional bail after months of incarceration.
In January 2024, the ED filed a supplementary chargesheet in the case, which included the names of Senthil Balaji, Ashok Kumar, and 11 other individuals, bringing the total accused to 13.
Following this, the court issued summons to Ashok Kumar to appear in person for further investigation. Complying with the court order, Ashok Kumar — who had been on the run for more than 18 months — finally appeared in court today.
His appearance marks a crucial turning point in the ongoing investigation and may pave the way for the next phase of judicial proceedings.
