India, July 31 -- The Supreme Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) lawmaker and former minister V Senthil Balaji in a corruption case concerning alleged irregularities in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC).

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the interim order after Balaji appealed against a Madras high court order refusing to protect him from arrest.

The high court observed that the allegations involved a loss of around rupees 17 crore to the state exchequer and his custodial interrogation was required.

The Supreme Court said that Balaji was no longer a serving minister and it was unlikely he exercises any clout to influence the invest...