Former school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi arrested in ₹100-crore fraud case

DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was arrested on Monday in connection with a ₹100 crore private schools "scam," police said.

He was arrested by the Greater Chennai Police's Central Crime Branch (CCB) shortly after the Madras High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition in connection with the alleged scam involving the issuance of recognition and statutory clearances to private schools, according to news agency PTI.

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What is Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi accused of?

Mahesh is accused of collecting money from over 1,000 private school managements in the guise of a "party fund" during his tenure as School Education Minister (2021-26), in exchange for permanent recognition and other administrative approvals.

The FIR, registered by the CCB, includes charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe the suspected financial trail related to the alleged scam.

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Anbil Mahesh questioned by crime branch

Anbil Mahesh had appeared before the Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) police in September for questioning in connection with the private school approval fraud case.

Earlier that month, the CCB had conducted an intensive eight-hour search at the DMK leader's residences and premises in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli over his alleged involvement in a ₹100-crore bribery scam. Money was allegedly collected from 177 private school managements in exchange for permanent government recognition.

As many as 118 items including property deeds, bank statements, 18 mobile phones, laptops and tablets were seized during the raid which was initiated following a complaint by a private school association. The police arrested one B T Arasakumar and two others in June.

Later, responding to the searches, Anbil Mahesh denied allegations levelled against him and termed the raid as "political vendetta" and diversionary tactics by the ruling TVK. He had claimed that the action on him followed his public speeches criticising the state government's plan to establish a new Secretariat-Assembly complex at an estimated cost of ₹1,200 crore.

"Every room, every drawer was checked. We fully cooperated. The officials themselves said such cooperation is rare," the former minister told reporters later while speaking about the raids.

"The police took away documents that I had maintained regarding Class 10 and 12 examination results when I was the School Education Minister, and also the documents pertaining to my inspection.... I will definitely cooperate with the investigating officials," Anbil Mahesh said on the summons for questioning.