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<\/div>\nTV visuals showed Senthil Balaji feeling uneasy and crying. (File)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Chennai\/New Delhi: <\/b><\/p>\n
Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji’s health deterioration after his arrest has triggered a political row, with the ruling DMK accusing the BJP of misusing the central agencies to target leaders of rival parties.<\/p>\n
Senthil Balaji is being treated at a Chennai hospital, where he underwent a coronary angiogram in the morning. He has been advised bypass surgery at the “earliest”.<\/p>\n
Chief Minister MK Stalin, after visiting the minister at the hospital, hit out at the BJP, saying it was resorting to “politics of intimation.”<\/p>\n
“DMK will not be cowed down by BJP’s intimidation. People are watching such oppression and will give a befitting reply in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” Mr Stalin said.<\/p>\n
State minister P K Sekar Babu claimed there were “symptoms” that Mr Balaji was “tortured”.<\/p>\n
Senthil Balaji was arrested late last night after day-long raids and hours of questioning. Mr Balaji is the Minister of Electricity, Prohibition and Excise, and the Karur District Secretary of the DMK.<\/p>\n
Mr Senthil broke down while being taken to the hospital for a medical checkup by the probe agency officials.TV visuals showed Mr Balaji feeling uneasy and crying.<\/p>\n
Responding to Mr Stalin’s charge, state BJP chief K Annamalai said the ED action was a culmination of a five-year probe into the cash for jobs scam.<\/p>\n
He said the Supreme Court had allowed a police and ED probe into the matter recently. “That being the case, how is this political vendetta. Mr Stalin and his alliance party leaders should explain,” Mr Annamalai said.<\/p>\n
Justifying Mr Balaji’s arrest, D Jayakumar alleged irregularities in the handling of liquor stock.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He urged the probe agency to ascertain Mr Balaji’s health status with the help of AIIMS and initiate further legal proceedings against him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n