TN Minister Senthil Balaji undergoes bypass surgery

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Senthil Balaji who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) underwent a bypass surgery at the city's Kaveri Hospital on Wednesday.

Sources in DMK told IANS that the surgery commenced in the early morning and was continuing.

The DMK leader was arrested in a job-for-cash scam when he was the transport minister in the 2011-16 AIADMK government led by late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

He later switched loyalties to DMK and is presently a minister for Excise, Prohibition and Electricity in the MK Stalin government.

After the arrest by the ED, the minister complained of chest pain and dizziness and was admitted at the Omandurar multi-specialty hospital in Chennai.

During a check-up at the Omandurar hospital, the doctors suggested Coronary angiogram on the minister.

It was found that the minister had three blocks in his coronary artery and recommended an immediate bypass surgery. The family of Senthil Balaji moved the high court for transferring him to the private Kavery hospital where there are better heart surgeons available.

The Madras High Court allowed the plea and Senthil Balaji was shifted to Kaveri hospital against which the ED has moved the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu health minister, Ma Subramanian told mediapersons that the surgery of the minister was on and that the hospital would release a medical bulletin on his condition.