Former TN Minister Senthil Balaji constantly filing petitions to stall trial: ED
Enforcement Directorate on Monday informed a sessions court here that with an ulterior motive to stall the trial proceedings in a money laundering case, former Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji was constantly filing petitions and thereby causing a delay in commencement of trial. Karthik Dasari, Deputy Director, Chennai Zonal Office, Directorate of Enforcement, stated this in his counter affidavit filed before Principal Sessions Judge S Alli, in response to the petitions filed by Balaji.
In a petition, Balaji sought to defer the present proceedings and adjourn the case to a later date. In another two petitions, he sought to furnish the missing documents in «Relied Upon Document Nos-16 and 17»-copies of counterfoil challans relating to his account which were collected by the ED in its investigation, to him.
In his counter affidavit, Dasari submitted that the petitioner/accused had already filed a petition to defer the trial proceedings and this court had dismissed the same. Challenging this order, the petitioner had preferred an appeal and it was pending before the Madras high court.
«The relief „deferment of present proceedings“ does not fall under the scope of section 309 Cr.P.C. This petition has no relevance at this stage and the petitioner cannot use this as a tool to stall the pronouncement of orders in the discharge petition and also the subsequent proceedings of framing charge by this court. The admissibility and maintainability of this petition can be taken up when the trial commences,» he added.
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