CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of a petition filed by former minister for school education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, seeking to quash the FIR registered against him by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Greater Chennai Police. The FIR is in connection with the alleged Rs 100 crore scam in issuing recognition and other statutory clearances to private schools during the previous DMK regime.
Following submissions of state public prosecutor R John Sathyan that one of the main accused in the case, Muthukumar, surrendered before the special court for Prevention of Corruption Act cases, and the police intended to file an application for taking him into custody, Justice V Lakshminarayanan adjourned the hearing to November 10.
Senior counsel P Wilson, representing Anbil Mahesh, told the judge that a contingent of 40 policemen surrounded his office and blocked the entry before ‘barging’ into the office and arresting the ex-minister. “The police arrested Anbil Mahesh from my office in the midst of a discussion on further legal action,” he said, and asked the court to frame guidelines to deal with such situations.
Justice Lakshminarayanan questioned the prosecution as to why the ex-minister was arrested at the office of the senior counsel. John Sathyan submitted that the police were made to wait for a long time and later asked to come into the office. “Police have done only their duty,” he said.