WATCH: High drama as DMK Minister Senthil Balaji breaks down in ED custody, complains of chest pain, hospitalised

High drama scenes ensued on Wednesday morning after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Tamil Nadu Power and Excise Minister V Senthil Balaji following searches at premises connected to him in a money laundering case. After his arrest, the Tamil Nadu Minister broke down and complained of chest pain, according to a video posted by ANI.

In the video, he can be seen lying in a car and crying in pain as his supporters protested the ED action. ED officials rushed Balaji to Chennai’s Omandurar government hospital for a medical examination. The Rapid Action Force was deployed at the Omandurar government hospital. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) minister was admitted to the ICU ward of a government hospital on early Wednesday morning, according to DMK leaders.

Tamil Nadu law minister S Raghupathi told ANI that Senthil Balaji was targeted and tortured while adding the central agency questioned him continuously for 24 hours. Raghupathi further said this is against human rights and that the ED will “have to answer to the people in the court”.

The ED officials on Tuesday raided premises linked to the DMK minister as part of an investigation into a money laundering case. The minister claimed he was not aware of what the officials searched for at his premises and assured total cooperation from his side. "With what intention they have come, what are they looking for, we will see. Let it get over," he told reporters soon after the ED started the searches.

The ED conducted these searches months after a Supreme Court order that allowed a police and ED investigation into an alleged cash-for-jobs scam against Balaji. Balaji was the transport minister in the AIADMK government from 2011-15 when the scam took place before switching to the DMK.

Meanwhile, the DMK will deal with Balaji’s arrest legally, as per Senthil Balaji’s lawyer and DMK leader NR Elango. Calling the arrest “totally illegal and unconstitutional”, Elango told India Today: "Senthil Balaji was picked up by ED and was brought to Omandurar govt hospital. It seems he was not conscious when he was admitted to the hospital. It is totally illegal and an unconstitutional arrest. We will fight it legally".

(With ANI, India Today inputs)

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