A local court on Wednesday sent Tamil Nadu Electricity and Prohibition and Excise Minister V Senthil Balaji, arrested by the ED in a money laundering probe, to judicial custody till June 28. Sessions Court Principal Judge S Alli visited the government hospital where Balaji was admitted this morning before passing the order.

Balaji was arrested around 1.30 am on Wednesday by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following raids on his premises since Tuesday morning.

The agency action came months after the Supreme Court allowed a police and ED probe into a cash for jobs scam allegedly involving Balaji.