Tamil Nadu Minister Arrested By ED, Breaks Down On Camera; CM Stalin Reaches Hospital

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday arrived at Omandurar government hospital to meet state minister Senthil Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged involvement in a money laundering case. Power minister Senthil Balaji broke down in front of the camera while he was being taken to the hospital for a medical checkup after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). High drama unfolded outside the hospital premises as his supporters, who were standing outside the hospital started chanting slogans against the probe agency.

On Wednesday, Tamil Nadu ministers Ponmudi and Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi arrived at Omandurar government hospital to meet Minister Senthil Balaji. The DMK also slammed the BJP as the party called the arrest "a revengeful act". "This is a revengeful act. The Union government is doing many wrong things against states where there is a non-BJP government like in West Bengal, Delhi and here," Tamil Nadu minister Ponmudi said.

Earlier, on Tuesday ED officials raided the premises of Balaji and took him in for questioning. Income Tax (IT) authorities also searched the properties of Mr Balaji's associates across the state. The ED is investigating corruption allegations against Balaji for jobs during his tenure as minister during the Jayalalithaa regime.

The DMK has accused the BJP of targeting the opposition following the defeat in the recently concluded Karnataka assembly election. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin also slammed the BJP for resorting to the "politics of intimidation". Stalin condemned the searches at the Secretariat, saying that the BJP's "politics of threatening their political rivals through backdoor tactics" will not work.

"BJP leadership is enacting 'politics of intimidation'. BJP's bid to intimidate through backdoor tactics like ED raids won't work," news agency PTI quoted Stalin as saying.