Cash-for-jobs case: Senthil Balaji trial rudderless ship, says SC, slams Tamil Nadu govt

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The Supreme Court Wednesday said that the cash-for-jobs case against former Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader V Senthil Balaji was revived only because of its intervention, calling the state’s proceedings a “rudderless ship”.

“All the FIRs were quashed at the High Court level thanks to a kind of a friendly match made there. Because of the judicial intervention of this court, the matters have been revived,” said Justice Surya Kant presiding over a two-judge bench. He asked why the state was opposed to the idea of the top court appointing a special public prosecutor.

Balaji is accused of accepting bribes from job aspirants when he was transport minister in the erstwhile AIADMK government.

The top court is currently hearing a challenge to a March 28 Madras High Court order dismissing pleas against the clubbing of multiple chargesheets in cases related to the alleged scam.

On Wednesday, the court asked the state to submit a complete list of accused and witnesses in the cases. “We want from you clearly and definitely what is your prosecutorial plan? It seems to be a very rudderless ship with 2,000-odd accused, 500-odd witnesses.” Justice Bagchi said. “It will perhaps be one of the most populated trials in India…You will need a cricket stadium.” The court will hear the matter next on August 11.

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