The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Tamil Nadu government why it was “in a hurry” to arrest the former minister. KT Rajendra Bhalaji When the top court had already seized their case.
“Is it appropriate for your government to arrest him when the matter was pending in the Supreme Court? Otherwise the sky would have fallen?” Chief Justice of India NV Ramana asked the state government, additionally represented by Advocate General V Krishnamurthy.
On the bench, Justice Surya Kant asked the state, “Do you intend to deprive the Supreme Court of hearing?”
“Why are you in a hurry?” Justice Hima Kohli asked.
Mr. Krishnamurthy said that the Madras High Court had rejected Mr. Bhalaji’s plea for anticipatory bail.
“He was arrested. He has been sent to judicial custody,” replied Mr. Krishnamurthy.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave for Mr. Bhalaji submitted that apart from arresting his client, his lawyers were also raided by the police.
The court issued notice and agreed to hear the matter on Monday. The Bench stayed all further orders against Shri Bhalaji.
“Why are you attacking lawyers? Is this the way? What are we coming for?” the CJI addressed the state.
A former AIADMK minister was arrested on Wednesday in an alleged job scam in Karnataka.
Following the complaints, the Virudhunagar police had earlier registered two separate FIRs.
The alleged victims were promised various jobs in state government departments, including the state’s dairy cooperative ‘Aavin’.
Shri Bhalaji had handled the Department of Milk and Dairy Development in the previous AIADMK government.
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