Bengaluru, Aug. 1 -- The Supreme Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA and former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji in a corruption case concerning alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the interim order while hearing Balaji's appeal against an order of the Madras high court that had refused protection from arrest to him. While the Madras high court had observed that the allegations against Balaji involved a loss of around Rs.17 crore to the State exchequer and that the DVAC required his custodial interrogation, the Supreme Court said that Balaji was no longer a serving minister and it was unlikely he exercised any clout to influence the ongoing investigation in the case. "If he is guilty, he will have to face consequences. This man is not going to jump investigation and go out," the Supreme Court said while allowing Balaji's plea seeking anticipatory bail. The Court directed him to cooperate with the probe and to surrender his passport. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Balaji assured the bench that the DMK leader will cooperate with the probe authorities and that he had already deposited his passport with the investigating officer. Senior advocate Guru Krishna K, who appeared for the Tamil Nadu government, opposed Balaji's plea arguing that he had been a State minister from the years 2021 and 2025 minister, and during his tenure, he had ensured no cases over the alleged regularities could be registered....