Tamil Nadu ex‑minister Senthil Balaji granted conditional bail in Rs 35 crore horse‑trading case

The Madras High Court has granted conditional anticipatory bail to former Tamil Nadu minister V. Senthil Balaji and his brother R. V. Ashok Kumar. The bail relates to a Rs 35 crore alleged horse‑trading scandal in which a Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) MLA was reportedly offered money to vote against a no‑confidence motion targeting the Assembly Speaker.

Police allege that the brothers coordinated the attempt, leading to the arrest of several suspects, including an intermediary named Thirunavukkarasu. The court ordered Balaji and his brother to appear before the police daily as a condition of bail. Balaji’s legal team maintains that the case is politically motivated and that there is no direct evidence linking them to the alleged bribe.

The case has drawn significant attention in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, coming ahead of the 2026 state elections and amid broader concerns about vote‑buying and corruption in the region.