Newsinc24 Team
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.Justice V. Lakshminarayanan of Madras High Court denies anticipatory bail to former DMK Minister ‘Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi’. Mahesh was reportedly arrested from an apartment in Aminjikarai, Chennai.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).. Money was allegedly collected from 177 private school managements in exchange for permanent government recognition. 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,
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 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 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.
Related Posts
Actress Urmila Sanawar arrested over alleged threat, extortion
Himanshu Bhau, wanted gangster from Haryana, arrested in US
Model, sister and driver arrested in Lucknow cafe owner's death case