DCB files charges against Rajenthra Bhalaji in job racket cases

Virudhunagar: The Virudhunagar district crime branch (DCB) on Tuesday filed a chargesheet against former AIADMK minister K T Rajenthra Bhalaji in two job racket cases wherein he allegedly took money from people promising govt jobs. The chargesheet was filed before Judicial Magistrate II Court in Srivilliputhur through online e-filing system.
The first case is against Bhalaji and two accomplices for collecting money from 23 people promising to secure govt jobs for them in Aavin and other govt departments. The second is based on a complaint from K Nallathambi, one of the co-accused in the first case, who claimed that Bhalaji used him as a tool to collect money from people by promising jobs in Aavin.
The former minister was booked under sections 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 506(i) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code.
It was on Dec 17, 2021 that Bhalaji absconded from the venue of an AIADMK protest after his anticipatory bail petitions were dismissed by Madras high court. He filed a special leave application before the Supreme Court challenging it. On Jan 5, 2022, police rounded him up near Hasan in Karnataka and brought him to Virudhunagar where he was remanded in judicial custody. Subsequently, Supreme Court granted him bail. Earlier, the Virudhunagar DCB filed a chargesheet in the case, but the court returned it citing certain defects.
Hearing a plea filed by complainant Ravindran, Madras high court on Jan 6, 2025, transferred the investigation from Virudhunagar DCB to CBI following a delay in obtaining sanction to prosecute the former minister. The state and Bhalaji appealed before Supreme Court challenging Madras HC order. On March 17, Supreme Court stayed the HC order and granted two weeks to Tamil Nadu govt to translate the Tamil portion of the documents, including the chargesheets, into English and submit the same to the governor.
Upon receipt, the Tamil Nadu governor's office was to forthwith take a decision on the request for sanction to prosecute Bhalaji under Prevention of Corruption Act, said the Supreme Court. Recently, the Tamil Nadu govt informed Supreme Court that the governor had accorded sanction to prosecute the former minister on April 11.