The Supreme Court on Wednesday warned Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji that his bail in a money-laundering case would be cancelled if he does not resign from his post, reported Live Law.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and AG Masih asked Balaji to decide “between his minister post and liberty” by April 28.

The bench was hearing a petition seeking to recall the court’s September 26 judgement granting bail to Balaji in the case, which is related to a cash-for-jobs scam.

The petitioners have argued that witnesses in the case might be facing intimidation because Balaji had become a minister after being released.

Justice Oka said on Wednesday that Balaji was granted bail on the grounds of a delay in his trial.

Appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that Balaji had resigned as a minister to plead for bail.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Balaji, said that the trial could be shifted out of Tamil Nadu if there are apprehensions of witnsesses being influenced.

“That will not serve the purpose,” the bench was quoted as saying by Live Law. “There are 1,000 witnesses.”

The bench added: “There are findings recorded in the reported judgement of this court attributing role to him in the predicate offence as minister. Can we ignore that? What signals are we sending?”

The court said that if Balaji does not resign, it would record it in the order that it had made a mistake by ignoring the judgements against him, “because the entire hearing proceeded on the footing that he is no longer minister”.

Balaji was reinstated as a minister in the state Cabinet on September 29, three days after he was granted bail. The Enforcement Directorate had arrested him in June 2023 for allegedly conspiring with transport corporation officials to appoint candidates recommended by his aides in exchange for money.

Balaji allegedly laundered the proceeds of the crime in violation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Before his arrest, Balaji was the minister for electricity, prohibition and excise. He was a minister without a portfolio after his arrest until he resigned in February 2024.

In December, the Supreme Court had expressed surprise about Balaji’s re-appointment as a Tamil Nadu minister. The court had also said it would examine whether the witnesses in the case, who are meant to depose against Balaji, were under any sort of pressure.