NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Monday pulled up Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji for not responding to a plea seeking recall of its order granting him bail in a money laundering case in cash-for-jobs scam and taking a “technical defence” that a formal notice was not issued to him.
It expressed anguish after the minister sought more time to take a stand as the bench had assembled only to hear this particular case. It said the court had been “taken for a ride”. Though the bench granted him time, it, however, noted its displeasure in its order.
“We are shocked to know that today counsel representing the second respondent (Balaji) raises a contention that formal notice has not been issued. Such contention should never have been raised. By this time, the second respondent could have always kept his reply/counter ready,” the bench said. “This conduct we will not tolerate,” it said. TNN
