Supreme Court ultimatum to TN minister Senthil Balaji, asks him to choose between post and freedom by Monday

The Supreme Court has issued a strong warning to Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji, instructing him to resign from his ministerial post or face the possibility of having his bail revoked in the ongoing money laundering case linked to the widely publicised 'cash-for-jobs' scam.

During a hearing held on Wednesday, a bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and AG Masih directed Balaji to make a choice between remaining in office or preserving his liberty. The court granted him time until the following Monday to arrive at a decision, placing the onus squarely on the minister, as per a report on Live Law.

This warning came as the court considered petitions submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which argued that Balaji had been 'attempting to influence witnesses involved in the case'. The justices voiced serious concern over Balaji’s swift reappointment to the cabinet shortly after receiving bail, raising critical questions about the ethics of allowing someone facing such serious allegations to return to a position of power, reported The New Indian Express.