CHENNAI: A special court for cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act on Friday reserved its order till November 2 on a plea seeking police custody of DMK leader and former school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Greater Chennai Police filed the plea against Mahesh, who was arrested on Monday in connection with the Rs 100-crore private schools approval fraud case.
Speaking to the media after the hearing, advocate Saravanan Annadurai said they had raised two issues on behalf of Anbil Mahesh. He said a CCTV camera has been installed outside his room, which amounted to an invasion of privacy, while prison officials failed to turn off the lights at night, preventing him from sleeping. Secondly, the food given to Mahesh did not comply with the court’s directions on diet, adding that Mahesh lost about 4 kg in weight.
Saravanan told TNIE, “The judge asked the prosecution why the court’s orders were not followed. Even though he is a prisoner, he is still entitled to human rights, the judge said.” The prosecution said the directions would be followed and it would consider allowing home-cooked food for Anbil Mahesh.
Meanwhile, DMK MLA P K Sekarbabu appeared for an inquiry before the Vepery police on Friday, in a case over allegedly creating a ruckus outside the police commissioner’s office when Mahesh was brought there on Monday night.