Madras HC allows shifting of arrested Tamil Nadu Minister to private hospital for bypass surgery

On a Habeas Corpus petition filed by his wife S.Mekala, a Bench comprising Justices J.Nisha Banu and D.Bharatha Chakravarthy allowed the shifting of the Minister to Kavery Hospital, where he has been undergoing regular treatment prior to his arrest early on Wednesday morning, for undergoing a bypass surgery as advised by the doctors.

Meanwhile, reiterating that V.Senthil Balaji was tortured by the ED due to a political vendetta before his arrest, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin Thursday said an elected member of the Assembly was treated like a 'terrorist' and wondered whether the country was facing an undeclared emergency.

Coming down hard on the BJP-led Government at the Centre, Stalin, in a video address warned the BJP not to provoke the DMK and its cadres, who have faced MISA and various vindictive acts and staged protests, and that it would not be able to bear the consequences.

Clarifying that he was not opposed to an inquiry against Senthilbalaji if there was a case and a court order, the Chief Minister wondered what was the need to treat the Minister like a terrorist, by locking him in a room.

“He is not an ordinary man who can run away. He is a member elected by the people to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. He is a five-time MLA and a two-time Minister," Stalin said, adding, he fully cooperated with the ED officials when they wanted to interrogate him.

He also promised to give a clear explanation if any documents were seized.

"What was the need to keep him in a room for 18 hours, not being allowed to meet anyone,” he asked.

Pointing out that the Minister was taken to the hospital by the ED officials only after he developed chest pain, Stalin said: “If they had remained indifferent to his health, it could have cost the Minister his life.”

Questioning the haste shown by the ED in questioning the Minister, the Chief Minister sought to know whether the country facing an undeclared emergency.

"The act of the ED seems to indicate it is...It is simple. The BJP has used the ED for its political game. The BJP is not ready to meet people and function politically. The people are also not ready to trust the BJP.  People will have faith in a party only if it is involved in people's politics. The BJP’s politics is anti-people,” he charged.

Accusing the BJP of using the central agencies under its control like the Income Tax Department, CBI, and ED to settle political scores with those it could not challenge politically and ideologically, Stalin said the BJP always resorted to intimidation.

“This is the BJP’s style and its only style. They are resorting to such anti-democratic acts across the country. They adopt the same script and dub it in other States,” he said.

In a stern warning to the BJP, Stalin said “Go through history to know the kind of protests organised by the DMK. Just ask the senior leaders in Delhi about us. We also know politics. I am not issuing a threat. This is a warning.”

[With UNI inputs]