The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday questioned the delay in proceeding against Ashok Kumar, brother of former DMK minister V. Senthil Balaji, in a case arising from an Income Tax raid in Karur.
According to the prosecution, Income Tax officials conducted searches on May 26, 2023 at locations linked to Senthil Balaji. Karur Town Police registered a case alleging that DMK workers obstructed officials from performing their duties, used abusive language, and took away items including a laptop and a pen drive.
Ashok Kumar has moved the High Court seeking anticipatory bail, claiming his name was added belatedly and wrongly with political motives following a change in government. His counsel told the court that he was not present at the spot and was implicated on the allegation that he instigated the incident.
The government advocate sought time to file a counter. Justice P. Dhanabal, however, noted that the case has been pending for about three years and asked why the police were showing urgency only now without taking action earlier, observing that even in murder cases counters are filed the next day. The matter was adjourned to today for further hearing.
