V. Senthil Balaji Age, Caste, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Bio/Wiki
Profession	Politician
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)	in centimeters- 170 cm in meters- 1.7 m in feet & inches- 5’ 7”
Weight (approx.)	in kilograms- 70 kg in pounds- 154 lbs
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Politics
Political Party	• Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (1994-1996) • Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) (1996-2000, 2018-present) • All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) (2000-2017)
Political Journey	•1994: Joined the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party •1996: Left the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party •1996: Joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) •1996: Elected as councillor of Karur uratchi Onriyam. •2000: Left the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) •2000: Joined the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) •2001: Reelected as councillor of Karur uratchi Onriyam. •2006: Elected as an MLA from the Karur Legislative Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu •2011: Reelected as MLA of the Karur Legislative Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu; appointed as the Minister for Transport. (15 May 2011 – 28 July 2015) •2015: Removed from the Cabinet and fired from the post of AIADMK Karur district president •2016: Elected as MLA from the Aravakurichi Constituency in Tamil Nadu •2017: Disqualified as an MLA •2017: Left the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) •2018: Rejoined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) •2019: Appointed as DMK's Karur district incharge •2019: Elected as MLA from the Aravakurichi Constituency in Tamil Nadu during the bye-election •2021: Elected as Karur Legislative Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu; appointed as the Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise.
Personal Life
Date of Birth	21 October 1975 (Tuesday)
Age (as of 2024)	49 Years
Birthplace	Rameswarappatti, Karur, Tamil Nadu, India
Zodiac sign	Libra
Signature
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Rameswarappatti, Karur, Tamil Nadu, India
School	Rameswarapatti Government School, Karur, Tamil Nadu Vivekananda Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Pasupathipalayam, Karur, Tamil Nadu Municipal Higher Secondary School, Karur, Tamil Nadu
College/University	Government Arts College, Karur (affiliated to Bharathidasan University) (he was suspended on 16-04-1995)
Educational Qualification	B. Com
Religion	Hinduism
Caste	Goundar community (OBC) [1]The Tribune
Food Habit	Non-vegetarian
Address	123/92, Rameswarapatti, Manmangalam Post, Manmangalam Taluk, Karur, 639 006
Controversies	Cases where Pending • 3 charges related to Punishment for criminal breach of trust (IPC Section-406) • 3 charges related to Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property (IPC Section-420) • 1 charge related to Attempt to murder (IPC Section-307) • 1 charge related to Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means (IPC Section-324) • 1 charge related to Criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent (IPC Section-409) • 23 charges related to Punishment for Being member of an unlawful assembly (IPC Section-143) • 10 charges related to Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life (IPC Section-270) • 8 charges related to Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life (IPC Section-269) • 7 charges related to Punishment for wrongful restraint (IPC Section-341) • 5 charges related to Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty (IPC Section-353) • 2 charges related to Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant (IPC Section-188) • 2 charges related to Punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment (IPC Section-109) • 2 charges related to Punishment for Rioting (IPC Section-147) • 2 charges related to Rioting, armed with deadly weapon (IPC Section-148) • 2 charges related to Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention (IPC Section-34) • 1 charge related to Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot-if rioting be committed-if not committed (IPC Section-153) • 1 charge related to Punishment for criminal trespass (IPC Section-447) • 1 charge related to Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt (IPC Section-323) • 1 charge related to Punishment for cheating by personation (IPC Section-419) • 1 charge related to Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object (IPC Section-149) ED vs Senthil In November 2014, a recruitment campaign was announced by the state-run Metropolitan Transport Corporation to hire 746 drivers, 610 conductors, 261 junior tradesmen, 13 junior engineers, and 40 assistant engineers through five separate advertisements; Balaji was the then transport minister in the AIADMK ministry. Allegations of corruption surfaced after these recruitment notices. The first complainant, Devasagayam, reportedly claimed in October 2015 that he had given Rs 2.60 lakhs to a conductor named Palani to secure his son's employment in the Transport Corporation. However, his son did not receive the job, and the money he had given was not refunded to him. It should be noted that Devasagayam's complaint did not implicate the then Transport Minister Balaji. Another complaint was later filed in March 2016 by an individual named Gopi, who alleged that he had transferred a total of Rs. 2.40 lakhs to two individuals supposedly associated with Minister Balaji with the expectation of obtaining a conductor position. Gopi, however, never obtained the job. Certain reports indicated that the police did not treat the matter with sufficient seriousness, leading to Gopi's frustration. As a result, he took his case to the Madras High Court, where he requested that his complaint be officially registered and thoroughly investigated. Gopi's case initially got merged with the earlier case, but he challenged this decision, stating that the first case didn't involve the minister and pointed out that he was manipulated by the accused; Gopi demanded an investigation that would go beyond the lower-ranked officers and reach the ministerial level. The Madras High Court considered Gopi's plea and ordered the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Central Crime Branch, to conduct a thorough investigation beyond the lower ranks. In 2017, the police submitted their final report; however, they only implicated the 12 individuals who were mentioned in Devasagayam's complaint and did not include the minister or his relatives; they were also not charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act, which weakened the seriousness of their offences. In 2017, V. Ganesh Kumar, an employee of the Transport Department, accused the minister and three others wanted him to collect Rs. 95 lakhs from job seekers. None of the people who paid the money got the promised jobs or received refunds. Another case was filed in 2018, but it focused on criminal offences and did not include corruption charges. In 2018, K. Arulmani registered a complaint stating that Rs. 40 lakhs were collected from his friends under the pretence of employment opportunities, and he pointed out that they had paid the money to the minister's assistant. However, the charges brought forward failed to address the allegations of corruption. Despite mounting allegations against Balaji, the absence of official corruption charges led to a new petition demanding a more thorough investigation. When Balaji assumed a ministerial position in Stalin's cabinet, two individuals, namely the minister's personal assistant Shanmugam and R Sahayarajan, attempted to dismiss the criminal cases against them by claiming a "compromise" with the victims. The High Court granted their request for one case, but this compromise was viewed as an admission of bribery and caught the attention of the ED (Enforcement Directorate). In late 2021, the ED initiated an investigation into the matter and requested relevant documents on the different cases; the High Court allowed the ED to examine the documents but forbade them not to make copies of those that were unmarked, which later became a subject of dispute. Additionally, the dismissal of the case based on the "compromise" was challenged by an unsuccessful job applicant and an NGO called the Anti-Corruption Movement. This was followed by a series of new legal proceedings. The High Court ordered a fresh investigation of the case. ED's summons for the accused was dismissed by the High Court, and the matter was escalated to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court granted the ED the authority to continue its investigation and review relevant documents. Importantly, the Court rejected Balaji's request for a Special Investigation Team. The Court observed that the compromise between the parties was a compromise of justice, fairness, and the fundamental principles of criminal law. The Court expressed doubts about the credibility of the investigation, as it failed to include charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act from 2015 to 2021. The Court dismissed the notion that the charges against Balaji were politically motivated; the bench observed that his power and position shielded him from prosecution during his tenure. The ED on 13 June 2023 raided the minister's residence, his office at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat and the premises of his brother and a close aide in Karur district and registered his arrest on 14 June 2023. Later, he was remanded in judicial custody till 28 June 2023. On 18 July 2023, he moved the Supreme Court in the cash-for-jobs scam case. He appealed the apex court against a Madras High Court decision that a court order for his remand in money laundering charges linked to the cash-for-jobs scam will prevail over a habeas corpus petition filed by his wife, Megala. [2]The Hindu On 20 September 2023, Senthil's plea for bail was denied by a Chennai court. The principal sessions court judge S. Alli, during the hearing, offered three distinct reasons for rejecting the request: concerns about him being a flight risk, the potential to influence witnesses, and the risk of tampering with evidence. The judge also pointed out that Senthil had received Rs 1.34 crores in his bank account between 2013 and 2014, while his wife had received Rs. 29.55 lakhs during the financial years 2014-2015 to 2019-2020. [3]Scroll.in Removed as a minister by the Governor Following his arrest by the ED in June 2023 amid criminal proceedings in an alleged cash-for-jobs scandal, Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi dismissed Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect; however, Chief Minister Stalin later retained him as a minister without portfolio, lashing out at the Governor, saying he does not have the right to dismiss the minister and that his government will proceed legally in the matter. [4]NDTV
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Family
Wife	Megala Senthilbalaji (homemaker)
Children	Daughter- Not known
Parents	Father- P. Velusamy Mother- Not known
Car Collection	• Tempo Truck Reg. No: TN09 U 7770 • Lanson Toyota Fortuner Reg. No: TN47 AM 7777 • Toyota Innova Car Reg. No: TN47 AQ 7777
Money Factor
Assets/Properties	Movable Assets • Cash: Rs. 8,86,994 • Bank Deposits, Financial Institutions and Non-Banking Financial Companies: Rs. 7,30,810 • Personal loans: Rs. 45,11,582 • Motor Vehicles: Rs. 24,33,804 • Jewellery: Rs. 12,29,875 Immovable Assets • Agricultural Land: Rs. 1,10,00,000 Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2021. It excludes the assets owned by his wife and dependents (minor).
Net Worth (approx.)	Rs. 2.07 crores. Note: The net worth was for the financial year 2021. It excludes the net worth of his wife and dependents (minors). [5]V. Senthil Balaji - MyNeta

Some Lesser Known Facts About V. Senthil Balaji

• V. Senthil Balaji is an Indian politician. He started his political career at the age of 21 and was elected as the councillor of Karur uratchi Onriyam in 1996. Later he retained the post in 2001. The politician represented the Karur Legislative Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu between 2006 and 2016; he represented the Aravakurichi Constituency in Tamil Nadu between 2016 and 2021. In May 2021, Balaji was fielded by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) from the Karur Legislative Assembly constituency and emerged victorious.

• He was a Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party member between 1994 and 1996. Senthil joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 1996 and was part of the DMK between 1996 and 2000. In 2000, the politician joined the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and was part of the party till 2017. Balaji rejoined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 2018 in the presence of DMK chief M. K. Stalin.

• He belongs to an agricultural family.

• In 2006, he contested his debut legislative assembly election on a ticket of AIADMK from the Karur Legislative Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu and defeated the DMK’s Vasuki Murugesan by a margin of 5,384 votes.
  

  V. Senthil Balaji during a festival in his hometown

• The politician is an ardent fan of Kabadi, Ko Ko, and Volleyball.

• He retained his seat during the 2011 Tamil Nadu legislative assembly elections; he defeated Indian National Congress’ Jothi Mani. S. by a landslide margin of 44,145 votes.

• In 2015, Balaji was removed from Jayalalithaa’s cabinet as the Transport Minister; he was also axed from AIADMK Karur district secretary. The reasons for his dismissal were not made clear by the party leadership.

• Some reports suggested that the politician was into social service as a student. He reportedly was a member of the National Service Scheme during his high school days. Later, he established the V.Senthilbalaji Foundationss, a Non-Government and Non-Profit making organization which mainly focuses on health, relief of the poor, providing amenities and facilities to physically disabled people, and education. The organization is set up in Karur, Tamil Nadu.
  

  A photograph of V. Senthil Balaji handing over the keys of a vehicle to assist the differently abled people

• He successfully contested in the 2016 Tamil Nadu legislative assembly election from the Aravakurichi Legislative Assembly constituency. He defeated DMK’s K. C. Palanisamy by a margin of 23,661 votes; however, the politician was not made a minister.
  

  V. Senthil Balaji addressing a crowd

• In 2017, after the death of AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa, the politician pledged his allegiance to the V. K. Sasikala-T. T. V. Dhinakaran faction. Some reports suggested that he was a loyal supporter of the Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.

• On 18 September 2017, 18 MLAs, including Senthil, were disqualified by then-speaker P. Dhanapal for meeting with the then-Governor Banwarilal Purohit to change the chief minister.

• In 2019, V Senthil Balaji won the Aravakurichi assembly seat for the second time in three years, making him the only MLA among the disqualified candidates who emerged victorious once more. What sets him apart is the distinctive achievement of representing two different parties within a single assembly term. Initially elected as an AIADMK candidate in 2016, Balaji later triumphed in the subsequent by-election on a DMK ticket. As a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate from the Aravakurichi Assembly constituency in the 2019 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by-election, Senthil won by a margin of 37,957 votes.

• He defeated AIADMK’s M. R. Vijayabhaskar by a margin of 12,448 votes from the Karur legislative assembly constituency in the 2021 Tamil Nadu legislative assembly election and was made a minister in the newly formed DMK ministry.
  

  V. Senthil Balaji speaking at a rally

• The then Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K. Annamalai, met with the Tamil Nadu governor on 21 May 2021 following the loss of the lives of 23 people due to a hooch tragedy that happened in the state; he demanded the immediate resignation of two ministers from Stalin’s cabinet, including Balaji. The BJP state president alleged that Senthil failed to efficiently curb the illegal trade of alcoholic beverages.

• On 14 June 2023, after raiding the residence of V. Senthil Balaji and other affiliated locations in Chennai and Coimbatore, the Enforcement Directorate officials proceeded to interrogate him regarding the accusations made during his tenure as the transport minister in the AIADMK-led government between 2011 and 2015, before he joined the DMK. As a result of the raid, Balaji was subsequently apprehended on charges of money laundering and escorted for further questioning.

• Later, Senthil underwent a coronary angiogram on 14 June 2023 at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital, Omandurar Estate, after they identified three blocks in his heart. Some reports indicated that the Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister was advised to undergo bypass surgery soon.
  

  M. K. Stalin meeting V. Senthil Balaji at the hospital

• His wife, Megala Senthilbalaji, filed an urgent Habeas Corpus plea at the Madras High Court after Balaji was taken into custody by ED; she alleged that the arrest was done without any notice or summons. The division bench of Justice M. Sundar and Justice Sakthivel was initially to hear the plea on an urgent basis; however, later, Justice R. Sakthivel recused himself from hearing the Habeas Corpus petition. Some reports suggested that Justice Sakthivel recused himself from hearing the plea as he hails from Karur, the hometown of the accused.

• Strong protests were staged following the minister’s arrest, and different political parties condemned the ED’s style of functioning and alleged that the BJP was using the central agencies for their political gain.
  

  The Secular Progressive Alliance organized a protest against the BJP Government’s misuse of investigating agencies

• Tamil Nadu chief minister Stalin lambasted the ED and alleged that Balaji was taken to hospital due to the torture of the officials and pointed out that their party and its members were not afraid of the intimidation tactics of the BJP and stated that they were planning to take legal actions against the ED; however, earlier the DMK chief openly accused Senthil of accepting bribes when he was part of the AIADMK. The BJP and AIADMK supporters are now using it against the chief minister and demanding the immediate resignation of Balaji.

• Under Chief Minister M. K. Stalin’s suggestions, Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi reassigned the portfolios previously held by the arrested state Minister V Senthil Balaji on 16 June 2023. Balaji’s former portfolio for Electricity and Non-Conventional Energy Development was handed over to Finance Minister Thangam Thennarsu, while S Muthusamy, the Housing and Urban Development Minister, received the portfolios for Prohibition and Excise, as well as Molasses. Thennarsu and Muthusamy are expected to handle these new responsibilities alongside their existing ones, as indicated by certain reports.

• Despite being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 14 June 2023 due to a cash-for-jobs scam, Balaji remained a Minister in the Stalin ministry without any portfolios, undergoing medical treatment. Reports suggested that the Governor disagreed with the minister’s continuation as a member of the Council of Ministers due to ongoing criminal proceedings associated with moral wrongdoing and his current state of being in judicial custody. This reshuffling of portfolios occurred one day after the ruling DMK accused Governor Ravi of disregarding Stalin’s recommendation to make these changes.