File image of V. Senthilbalaji.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Justice V. Mohana of the Supreme Court on Friday (July 31, 2026) recused herself from hearing an appeal filed by former Prohibition, Electricity and Excise Minister V. Senthilbalaji, against a Madras High Court refusal to grant him pre-arrest bail in a corruption case registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on July 28.
The Chief Justice said he would constitute an appropriate Bench shortly to hear the petition.
The Supreme Court agreed to urgently hear an appeal filed by the former DMK Minister after the Madras High Court had on Thursday (July 30, 2026) refused to grant him anticipatory bail to former DMK Minister.
Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan had dismissed Mr. Senthilbalaji’s advance bail petition after observing that the case relates to the charge of having caused a loss of crores of rupees to the public exchequer when he was a Minister and therefore, it required custodial interrogation.
Opposing the plea, State Public Prosecutor R. John Sathyan said that the loss to the public exchequer appeared to be at least ₹100 crore and that the entire crime could be unearthed only through the investigation of the case and by subjecting the accused to interrogation.
Published – July 31, 2026 12:12 pm IST
