Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Wednesday met with State minister Senthil Balaji at the Omandurar government hospital in Chennai. Balaji was hospitalised after he complained of chest pain during questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

While Stalin arrived at the hospital to meet with Balaji, the Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise, several DMK workers raised slogans against Governor RN Ravi outside the facility. The Tamil Nadu chief minister later issued a statement stating that DMK will not be intimidated by the threats of the BJP and that people will teach the BJP a lesson in the 2024 elections. He also said both Senthil Balaji and the DMK will bravely fight this case legally.

Stalin in his statement alleged that the ED officials had tortured Senthil Balaji to such an extent during the interrogation that he suffered chest pain. Even after he said that he was cooperating with the probe officials he was even when the minister said he would cooperate with the agency’s investigation, he was still “pressured” to the point that he suffered chest pain, Stalin said.

Stalin issued the statement hours after the ED took into custody Balaji after raids at the minister’s premises.

“What was the purpose of the Enforcement Department to torture Minister Senthil Balaji so that he would get chest pain even after he said that he would cooperate fully with the investigation? Is it necessary for the enforcement officers to act in a dehumanizing manner in violation of the legal procedures required by the case? DMK will not be intimidated by these threats of the BJP. Don’t fear. People will teach them a lesson in the 2024 elections,” read the translation of his statement in Tamil posted by Stalin on his Twitter handle.

Stalin in his statement said that Balaji was pressurised by the ED and that the officials of the investigation agency had tortured the Tamil Nadu minister.

“They have put pressure on him. Till 2 am-midnight, they pressured him and then took him to the hospital. Now he’s in ICU Even after he said that he will give complete cooperation for the investigation, why should they be stubborn in torturing him? They have acted very inhumanly even beyond the level that is needed for this case. We can clearly see the ill intentions of the ones who sent these officials. Senthil Balaji will fight legally. We are strong in our political stance on this matter. DMK will bravely fight this case legally,” Stalin’s statement said.

Meanwhile, there was high drama outside the hospital as the DMK minister was brought early this morning. He could be seen crying while lying in a car as his supporters gathered outside the hospital to protest against the ED action.

State BJP vice president Narayanan Thirupathy termed the hospitalisation of the Minister as a “complete drama” staged by the DMK party. “It is a complete drama with screenplay and dialogues by the DMK in Tamil Nadu today,” Thirupathy said.

DMK Rajya Sabha MP and advocate, NR Elango said that the procedure adopted by the ED to take Balaji into custody was totally illegal and unconstitutional.

“The procedure adopted by Enforcement Directorate is totally illegal and unconstitutional. He was taken into custody by ED without informing him of the grounds of his arrest. We will fight this case legally, said Elango.

Raids were carried out at Balaji’s Karur residence and his office at the state secretariat by the ED sleuths in connection to an alleged money laundering case on Tuesday. In addition to this, the premises of his brother and a close aide in Karur were also raided.