By Shilpa Nair: Arrested Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji will continue as a state cabinet minister but will hold no portfolio, the Tamil Nadu government said on Friday. The development comes despite Governor RN Ravi’s opposition to Balaji continuing as minister.

A Raj Bhawan statement released earlier in the day stated that Governor RN Ravi opposed Balaji continuing in CM MK Stalin-led cabinet as he was facing criminal proceedings. He agreed to re-allocation of Senthil Balaji’s portfolios, but disagreed with him continuing as a minister.

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Balaji’s electricity portfolio has been given to Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu and the Prohibition and Excise portfolio has been given to Housing and Urban Development Minister Muthusamy, the Tamil Nadu government said. Thennarau and Muthusamy will hold the new portfolios in addition to their existing ones.

Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday in a cash-for-jobs scam and is currently hospitalised. The accused minister had to be hospitalized due to his flailing health, hours after a court remanded him in judicial custody till June 28.

On Friday, Balaji was sent to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody by a sessions court for eight days in connection with the scam. As per the court’s order, Senthil Balaji will remain in ED custody till June 23.

The case against him dates back to 2014 when he was transport minister in the then CM J Jayalalithaa-led cabinet.

According to the ED, Senthil Balaji “misused” his office for illegal gratification and “engineered” a job racket scam in the state transport undertakings during 2014-15 with purported kickbacks paid by candidates through his associates.

Also Read: Senthil Balaji sent to 8-day ED custody, to be questioned in hospital