After remaining absconding for over two years, Ashok Kumar, the brother of Tamil Nadu minister V Senthilbalaji, has finally appeared before the court in connection with the alleged cash-for-job scam. Kumar, the second accused in the case, along with 12 other accused, including Senthilbalaji, presented themselves before the Principal Sessions Court in Chennai.

Special Public Prosecutor for the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Rajnish Pathiyal, informed the court that the accused would be provided with a digital copy of the supplementary chargesheet and related documents, which span over 5,000 pages. However, the defense counsel objected to the submission, insisting that the documents be served in hard copy to ensure their authenticity. The judge, citing provisions under the new criminal law, ruled that the prosecution is permitted to serve case papers in digital format as well. Following the proceedings, the court ordered all the accused to execute a bond of Rs 2 lakh each and scheduled the next hearing for April 25.

Earlier in January, the ED had filed a supplementary chargesheet before the Principal Sessions Court, listing Kumar and 12 others as accused in the job scam. Upon reviewing the chargesheet, the court issued summons for their appearance.

The case traces back to 2015, when multiple complaints were lodged with the Central Crime Branch (CCB) against Senthilbalaji and his brother Kumar. The complaints alleged that they had accepted money in exchange for government jobs in the Transport Department. Investigations revealed that Senthilbalaji, who served as the Transport Minister in the AIADMK government between 2014 and 2015, had allegedly promised employment in return for cash.

Following the initial chargesheet filed by the investigation agency, the ED launched a money laundering probe, leading to the arrest of Senthilbalaji in June 2023. Meanwhile, Kumar had been on the run since May 2023, until his recent court appearance.

The high-profile case continues to unfold, with the next legal proceedings set to take place later this month.