Former Tamil Nadu school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Greater Chennai Police on Monday in connection with an alleged Rs 100-crore scam involving the issuance of recognition and other statutory clearances to private schools.
The arrest came hours after the Madras High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition in the case. Mahesh was reportedly arrested from an apartment in Aminjikarai, Chennai.
The case was registered on a complaint lodged by DC Ilangovan, secretary of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, alleging that money was collected from private school managements on the promise of securing government approvals, including permanent recognition, school upgradation, Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) clearances and other statutory permissions.
According to the police, around 177 private schools were linked to the alleged collection of more than Rs 100 crore. The money was allegedly collected in the name of a party fund, with assurances that pending applications for government approvals would be cleared.
The CCB had booked Mahesh under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and named him as an accused in the case. The investigation also involves BT Arasakumar, president of the Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association, and former MLA Muthukumar, an office-bearer of the Tamil Nadu Parent-Teacher Association who is said to be a close aide of the former minister.
The investigating agency had alleged that Mahesh directly collected money from schools in the name of a “party fund”. It also said witnesses had confirmed meeting the former minister and discussing money collected from school managements, as well as assurances about government orders to address their demands.
The Madras High Court, while dismissing Mahesh's anticipatory bail petition on Monday, said the matter required further investigation, according to the prosecution's submissions.
The CCB had earlier arrested Arasakumar and two other accused, Suresh and Raja, in the case. Arasakumar was arrested on June 27 and later granted bail by the Madras High Court. Police have also conducted searches at premises linked to Mahesh and his associates in Chennai, Tiruchy and other locations as part of the investigation.
The allegations concern payments purportedly collected from private school managements during the previous DMK regime, when Mahesh was the school education minister. The investigation is ongoing.
