SC upholds CBI probe into ₹397 crore transformer scam under Senthil Balaji
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to interfere with the Madras High Court's order directing a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities worth ₹397 crore in transformer procurements carried out during the tenure of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and former Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister V. Senthil Balaji between 2021 and 2023. The apex court's dismissal effectively clears the way for a fresh, independent CBI investigation into the alleged procurement irregularities involving around 45,000 distribution transformers.
What the Supreme Court Ruled
A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta dismissed the special leave petition (SLP) filed by V. Kasi, Financial Controller of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), who had challenged the Madras High Court's direction ordering a CBI inquiry. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for the TANGEDCO official, argued that no specific prayer for a CBI probe had been made before the High Court and that the proceedings were politically motivated.
