Chennai, Feb 14 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has requested the Madras High Court to consider a speedy trial in the job-for-cash scam case against Tamil Nadu DMK leader and former minister V. Senthil Balaji.

The ED in its affidavit before Justice Anand Venkatesh said that the former minister was intentionally stalling the commencement of the trial in the money laundering case.

The premier investigating agency urged the court to order a speedy trial instead of accepting the plea to grant bail before the completion of the trial.

The ED said in the court that it had time and again expressed its readiness for the commencement of trial but the accused was willfully delaying the process before the Principal Sessions Court in Chennai.

The investigating officer, Karthik Dusari also informed the court that Senthil Balaji will not be able to complain of long pretrial incarceration when the delay was caused by his own actions.

The investigating officer informed the court that the former minister was a highly influential person and hence there was a high probability of him misusing his liberty to influence or threaten witnesses.

Representing the ED, Special Public Prosecutor N. Ramesh, pointed out that the bail petitioner was arrested on June 14, 2023 and since then he was in judicial custody.