Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji, Arrested By ED, Undergoes Bypass Surgery In Chennai

DMK leader V Senthil Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a cash-for-jobs scam last week.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a case of corruption, underwent a bypass surgery on Wednesday. The DMK minister was hemodynamically stable, the private hospital treating him said in a health bulletin. The minister underwent Beating Heart Coronary Artery Bypass surgery in the morning, a medical bulletin issued by Kauvery Hospital said. "Four bypass grafts were placed and coronary revascularization was established," the bulletin from Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, co-founder and executive director of Kauvery Group of Hospitals, said.

"He is currently hemodynamically stable and being monitored in the postoperative intensive care unit by the multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses," it said.

Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate earlier this month on money laundering charges, sparking a furious political row between Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK and its rivals - the All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party.

High Drama Over Senthil Balaji's Arrest 

Balaji, 47, broke down after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following an 18-hour interrogation regarding a money laundering case. The minister's premises were raided by the central agency prior to his arrest.

Due to his lack of cooperation, refusal to sign the arrest memo, and his verbal outbursts directed at the agency officers, the ED informed the court of his non-compliance. As a result, he was remanded to judicial custody for a period of 14 days.

Following his arrest, Balaji complained of chest pain and he was rushed to a government hospital in Chennai, where he received a diagnosis of coronary artery disease. On the orders of the Madras High Court, he was transferred to the privately-run Kauvery Hospital. 

Political Slugfest Over Balaji's Arrest

The arrest of Balaji sparked a bitter political controversy in Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched a scathing attack on AIADMK and BJP. Several opposition parties slammed the ruling BJP for misusing the central investigative agencies such as the CBI and ED to target their political rivals.