Supreme Court Seeks ED Reply on Senthil Balaji’s Bid to Ease Bail Terms

Overview

• Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice on V. Senthil Balaji’s application to relax specific bail conditions in the PMLA case linked to an alleged cash‑for‑jobs scheme.
• The court asked the Enforcement Directorate to state whether Balaji’s ongoing in‑person attendance under condition (c) remains necessary, noting it was not expressing any view yet.
• Balaji seeks to drop twice‑weekly attendance at the ED’s Chennai office, the monthly appearance before investigating officers, and the requirement of regular personal presence before trial courts.
• The ED opposed any dilution, arguing the conditions were consciously imposed and have supported smooth progress of the proceedings, while Balaji’s counsel cited a completed probe and 116 prior ED appearances.
• The Supreme Court granted Balaji bail on September 26, 2024 over trial delay concerns, even as it recorded prima facie material including certified pen‑drive files and deposits of about Rs 1.34 crore.