When will trial start? Supreme Court asks ED while reserving verdict on V Senthil Balaji bail plea

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its judgment on the bail plea filed by former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji in connection with his June 2023 arrest in a money-laundering case [V Senthil Balaji v. Deputy Director]..During today's hearing of the matter, the Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih also grilled the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on whether the trial against Balaji is likely to begin soon. "What will happen to PMLA trial when predicate offence is not proved? Can you proceed for trial in PMLA case when trial of predicate offence has not started? How will you proceed with the trial? Either you make a statement that you are not relying on the other trial of the predicate offences. How can you proceed with this? Tell us the outer limit when these trials will be conducted," Justice Oka said. The judge noted that there were three predicate offences linked to the money laundering case against Balaji. The trial is yet to begin in this predicate offence case, which is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), he observed."Here there are three predicate offences. Nothing has started. Tell us how many witnesses are there in each predicate offence is there? Can you even tell about when the trial can commence? We can't imagine if the trial will commence or not. Total accused are over 500 combined in all three predicate cases. How many days will it be taken to even record their statements?" Justice Oka asked.Representing the ED, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta and Advocate Zoheb Hossain replied that the predicate offence (CBI case) and ED trials can continue side by side. .Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Sidharth Luthra appeared for Balaji today. Rohatgi argued that since Balaji was no longer a State Minister, there is not reason to deny him bail by stating that he is influential."Just tell me on lighter vein, does the Minister after resigning cease to be influential?" Justice Oka quipped, in response."At least the one who has got bail (referring to Manish Sisodia) is better than the person in present," SG Mehta added.Luthra strongly objected to this statement."Milords this cannot be the way that the opposite party says that you show me the person and we will make an argument on that. This is wrong. Case has to be argued as it is," Luthra said.The Bench eventually reserved its verdict..Balaji had approached the top court for bail after the Madras High Court dismissed his bail application on February 28. Justice N Anand Venkatesh of the High Court had, however, noted that since Balaji has been in prison for almost eight months, the special court should conduct the trial on a "day to day basis" and complete the same within three months.The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader was arrested by the ED in the money laundering case on June 14, 2023.The case against him stems from alleged irregularities in the appointment of bus conductors in the Tamil Nadu transport department, as well as the appointment of drivers and junior engineers.The charges are from the time of his tenure as transport minister for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government from 2011 to 2015.His bail application was rejected by a sessions court in Chennai on three previous occasions. His medical bail plea too was rejected by the High Court in October last year, which was upheld by the top court.."Checked Google, medical condition of V Senthil Balaji not serious": Supreme Court refuses medical bail to TN Minister.[Read Live Coverage].Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.