Editor's Pick: Senthilbalaji case | Supreme Court denies relief to ED, leaves it to the High Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant immediate relief to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and left it to the Madras High Court to decide if Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthilbalaji’s move to a private hospital thwarted the Central agency’s “right to remand” and interrogate him. Mr. Senthilbalaji was arrested by the ED on money laundering charges connected to a cash-for-jobs scam on June 14, 2023. He was remanded to judicial custody till June 28. The minister underwent a beating heart coronary artery bypass surgery at a private hospital in Chennai on Wednesday. He was initially admitted to the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital, Omandurar, where he underwent a coronary angiogram and was advised surgery. The Madras High Court, on June 15, ordered him to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice, after which he was taken to Kauvery Hospital. The Madras High Court had agreed to hear a habeas corpus petition filed by Mr. Senthilbalaji’s wife a day after he was arrested. According to the ED, the court allowed him to be shifted to a private hospital. “The High Court order on June 15 sets a wrong precedent. Now, any accused can approach a High Court in a habeas corpus petition after a legal arrest and evade police remand and interrogation…I am happy that all citizens of India will have the remedy of habeas corpus when they are remanded into custody, though I believe all people are equal, it appears some people are more equal…and I am not being sarcastic here,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the ED, submitted. The case has become remarkable because it raises legal questions related to whether time spent in private care counts as “effective custody,” and if an accused can delay police remand on medical grounds. The Hindu’s Editorials Overkill: On the Internet shutdown in Manipur Heat and state: On a heatwave being only one half of the issue The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Who is India’s Ambassador to the United States? Taranjit Singh Sandhu Jawed Ashraf Ruchira Kambhoj Vikram Doraiswami To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 22 June 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Senthilbalaji case | Supreme Court denies relief to ED, leaves it to the High Court The [Supreme Court]( on Wednesday refused to grant immediate relief to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and left it to the Madras High Court to decide if Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthilbalaji’s move to a private hospital thwarted the Central agency’s “right to remand” and interrogate him. Mr. Senthilbalaji was arrested by the ED on money laundering charges connected to a cash-for-jobs scam on June 14, 2023. He was remanded to judicial custody till June 28. The minister underwent a beating heart coronary artery bypass [surgery at a private hospital in Chennai]( on Wednesday. He was initially admitted to the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital, Omandurar, where he underwent a coronary angiogram and was advised surgery. The Madras High Court, on June 15, ordered him to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice, after which he was taken to Kauvery Hospital. The Madras High Court had agreed to hear a [habeas corpus petition]( filed by Mr. Senthilbalaji’s wife a day after he was arrested. According to the ED, the court allowed him to be shifted to a private hospital. “The High Court order on June 15 sets a wrong precedent. Now, any accused can approach a High Court in a habeas corpus petition after a legal arrest and evade police remand and interrogation…I am happy that all citizens of India will have the remedy of habeas corpus when they are remanded into custody, though I believe all people are equal, it appears some people are more equal…and I am not being sarcastic here,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the ED, submitted. The case has become remarkable because it raises legal questions related to whether time spent in private care counts as “effective custody,” and if an accused can delay police remand on medical grounds. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Overkill: On the Internet shutdown in Manipur]( [Arrow][Heat and state: On a heatwave being only one half of the issue]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Who is India’s Ambassador to the United States? - Taranjit Singh Sandhu - Jawed Ashraf - Ruchira Kambhoj - Vikram Doraiswami To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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