ED arrests TN Minister Senthil Balaji under anti-money laundering act
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Chennai (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday arrested Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), official sources said.
He was arrested after a long session of questioning, they said, even as the minister was admitted to a city government hospital after he complained of uneasiness.
He is likely to produced before a special court later where the agency will seek his custody.
The agency had launched multi-city searches in the state on Tuesday at the premises linked to the DMK's Karur strongman as part of the probe into money laundering.
The action came months after the Supreme Court allowed a police and ED probe into an alleged cash for jobs scam against him.
Earlier, he was hospitalised after he complained of uneasiness, DMK leaders said. State Minister P K Sekar Babu claimed there were 'symptoms' that Balaji has been 'tortured.'
TV visuals showed Balaji being uneasy while being brought to the Government Medical College, Omandurar Government Estate in the city.
"He is in the ICU. He was in an unconscious state and did not respond when he called him by his name. He is under observation... there is a swelling near his ear, doctors say there is variation in his ECG (electrocardiogram)... these are symptoms of torture," Babu told reporters.
Law minister S Reghupathy, who visited the hospital, questioned the need for the ED raids at Balaji's house running non-stop for hours.
TN minister Udhayanidhi Stalin was among the cabinet ministers who visited the hospital. Meanwhile, central paramilitary personnel were posted at the hospital.
The ED had launched searches at locations linked to Balaji at Chennai, Karur and Erode on Tuesday as part of probe into money laundering.
Balaji was earlier with the AIADMK and had been Transport Minister in the late Jayalalithaa-led Cabinet.
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
