Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji, who is in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), underwent coronary artery bypass surgery on Wednesday, June 21. The Minister, who had been rushed to the hospital after he complained of chest pain, is said to be stable after the surgery, according to the bulletin released by Kauvery Hospital in Chennai. Senthil complained of chest pain at the time of his arrest by ED in a money-laundering case in the early hours of June 14. He was rushed to the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital in Chennai’s Omandurar Government Estate, which recommended immediate bypass surgery.
Meanwhile, Senthil's family filed a habeas corpus petition in the Madras High Court. During the hearing, the family sought his transfer to Kauvery Hospital. He was shifted to the night of June 15. The hospital, after health assessments, performed surgery on June 21.
The medical bulletin released by Kauvery Hospital said that Senthil underwent a Beating Heart Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery performed by Dr AR Raghuram, Senior Consultant Cardio Thoracic Surgeon and his team. “Four bypass grafts were placed and coronary revascularisation was established. He is currently hemodynamically stable and being monitored in the postoperative cardiothoracic intensive care unit by the multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses," the bulletin said.
Senthil Balaji was arrested in a money-laundering case related to the transport job scams while he was Transport Minister between 2011 and 2015. He served as All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Minister in former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's cabinet. After 18 hours of searches by ED, at 1.30 am on June 14, he was informed that he was under arrest, following which around 2.15 am, he complained of chest pain, and he was taken to the hospital at Omandurar Government Estate.
Condemning the action taken by ED, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin released a video slamming the central agency. CM Stalin said that the arrest by ED was nothing but a political vendetta. He also said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cannot intimidate the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) or its leaders through raids and that they will be countered in the 2024 elections.