Senthil Balaji. (Express photo by Arun Janardhanan) THE SUPREME Court on Monday dismissed appeals challenging the Madras High Court order directing a CBI investigation into an alleged Rs 397 crore-scam in the purchase of transformers by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO) between 2021 and 2023 when V Senthil Balaji was the electricity minister. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta refused to entertain the appeals challenging the April 29, 2026 High Court order transferring the probe from the TN Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to the CBI. Though the appellants contended that there was no prayer before the HC seeking a CBI investigation, the SC said courts can order CBI probe even without any such prayer. “We don’t need a prayer. It depends upon how the court feels,” the court said. The bench clarified that the investigation shall not be influenced by the observations made by the High Court.…