R V Ashok Kumar, brother of former DMK Minister V Senthil Balaji, has approached the Madras High Court seeking permission to travel to the United States for urgent medical treatment, challenging a trial court’s refusal to lift a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to an alleged cash-for-jobs scam.

A Division Bench of Justices M S Ramesh and V Lakshminarayanan heard the plea on Tuesday and issued notice to the ED. The matter has been posted for further hearing on July 22. The Bench also directed Ashok Kumar to file a detailed travel schedule.

Ashok Kumar submitted that he is suffering from serious cardiovascular ailments, including coronary artery disease, for which he underwent angioplasty in 2021. However, his condition has worsened over time, despite continued medication and treatment.

He underwent a coronary angiogram in Chennai on May 31, 2025, which revealed further deterioration, with multiple organs now impacted due to chronic cardiac stress. According to his doctors, he requires advanced cardiac care—currently available only in the US—given his age and condition.

Medical experts have advised that he consider specialized treatment in the US to restore and regularize blood flow to his heart, he added in his petition.

The LOC, which prevents Ashok Kumar from traveling abroad, was issued by the ED as part of its ongoing probe into a money laundering case tied to allegations of cash-for-job appointments during his brother’s ministerial tenure.