Supreme Court Blasts Tamil Nadu’s ‘Fraud’ in Senthil Balaji Cash-for-Jobs Case
SC Slams TN’s Massive Trial Tactic
The Supreme Court on Wednesday lambasted the Tamil Nadu government for what it called a “complete fraud on the judicial system” in the cash-for-jobs scam case involving former minister V Senthil Balaji. The court, led by Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, described the trial as a “rudderless ship,” criticizing the state for implicating over 2,300 accused and 600 witnesses, suggesting a cricket stadium would be needed to accommodate such a massive case. “Several AI-generated accused might pop up just to mark presence,” Justice Kant remarked sarcastically, highlighting the absurdity of the trial’s scale.
The case stems from allegations that Balaji, Transport Minister from 2011 to 2016 under the AIADMK regime, orchestrated a scheme with his brother and aides, collecting bribes for jobs in the state transport corporation. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Balaji in June 2023 for money laundering, following three FIRs filed in 2018. The Supreme Court granted him bail on September 26, 2024, citing prolonged detention and trial delays. However, his reinstatement as a minister days later sparked outrage, leading to his resignation on April 27, 2025, after the court’s ultimatum: “Choose between post or freedom.”
The court’s ire was directed at Tamil Nadu’s tactic of clubbing multiple chargesheets, inflating the accused count to delay Balaji’s trial. “The state seems reluctant to prosecute the ex-minister, targeting poor bribe-givers instead,” Justice Kant noted, accusing the government of shielding Balaji. The bench demanded details of brokers, middlemen, and selection committee members involved, questioning why 2,000 alleged bribe-givers, often desperate parents, were prosecuted alongside Balaji.
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Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing victim Y Balaji, argued the state colluded with the accused, challenging the Madras High Court’s March 28, 2025, order allowing chargesheet clubbing. Tamil Nadu’s counsel, Abhishek Singhvi, faced scrutiny over the lone public prosecutor’s ability to handle such a high-profile case, with the court suggesting a special prosecutor.
The ED’s probe revealed incriminating evidence, including a “csac.xlsx” file detailing bribe amounts, recovered from Balaji’s residence. The court, hearing related pleas, scheduled further discussions for July 31, signaling a push for accountability in one of India’s largest corruption trials.
