DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday stepped up his attack on the BJP over the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arresting his cabinet colleague V Senthil Balaji, as he asserted the minister will face the case legally, and so will the party.

He charged the ED officials of "enacting a drama" in the name of enquiry and accused them of "physically and mentally troubling" Balaji.

"They had pressured him to the point of him suffering a chest pain," Stalin alleged in a statement, hours after the ED arrested Balaji in a money laundering probe following raids at his premises and hours long questioning since Tuesday.

ED officials had done so till 2 am before taking Balaji to a hospital and he is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) right now, the Chief Minister added.

He questioned the need for such a long probe even after Balaji assuring full cooperation to the probe and asked "if such an inhumane action by the ED officials is warranted".

"The cruel intentions of those that had deployed the officials is evident from this," Stalin charged.

He reiterated his stringent criticism of the BJP, saying it was using such investigating agencies against its political rivals. "That is the only way they know." "Whatever the case is, Senthil Balaji will face it legally. We will firmly continue with our political stand. The DMK will face the case legally with resolve," the Chief Minister said.

"DMK will not be cowed down by BJP's intimidation. People are watching such oppression and will give a befitting reply in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," he added.

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