Plea against Tamil Nadu transport minister V Senthil

Chennai: A petition has been filed in the Madras high court to direct the police to register a complaint, alleging that the then state transport minister V. Senthil Balaji had collected huge amounts on the promise of getting jobs in the transport department but failed to do so.

Justice R Mala before whom the petition filed by Gopi of Neelankarai came up for hearing, adjourned it to first week of June.

According to petitioner, after noticing an advertisement published in newspapers inviting applications for recruitment to various posts in the Tamil Nadu state transport department, he and other qualified persons applied for the same. After they were called for an interview, they attended the same. Thereafter, one Karthik approached him and others and allegedly represented that if they give gratification to the then minister Senthilbalaji, they will be given appointments to the respective posts.

Accordingly, they gave Rs 3 lakh each to posts of conductor and driver and Rs 6 lakh for the post of mechanical engineer and waited with fond hope that they would get appointment orders. Totally, 107 persons have allegedly given a total sum of Rs 2.31 crore to the minister in the presence of his own brother Ashokan and personal secretary Bhaskar.

The minister instructed Karthik (who was none other than his brother-in-law) to make arrangements to give appointment orders to them.  However, no appointment orders were issued to them. When they approached the minister either to get them job or refund the amount collected from them, the minister allegedly threatened them.