First ex-DMK minister arrested under TVK govt: Anbil Mahesh held in Rs 100 cr ‘scam’
The case has become a flashpoint between the ruling TVK government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and the Opposition DMK.
In the first arrest of a former minister in a major alleged corruption probe after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government took office in Tamil Nadu, Central Crime Branch (CCB) police of Greater Chennai on Monday (October 26) arrested DMK leader and ex-School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi.
The arrest followed the Madras High Court’s dismissal of his anticipatory bail plea in an alleged over Rs 100 crore private schools recognition and approvals scam dating to the previous DMK regime.
The case has become a flashpoint between the ruling TVK government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and the Opposition DMK. TVK came to power in May after the Assembly elections, ending decades of DMK-AIADMK dominance; the party won 108 seats and formed a government with alliance support.
How probe began
The probe began with a complaint filed by DC Elangovan, secretary of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu. The complaint alleged that Arasakumar, president of an unregistered Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association, along with other office-bearers including former DMK MLA Muthukumar (treasurer), collected large sums from private school managements. The promises included securing permanent recognition, school upgrades, NOCs, licences, DTCP (Directorate of Town and Country Planning) and CMDA clearances, and other statutory approvals promises that were allegedly not fulfilled.
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Investigators estimated collections exceeding Rs 100 crore from more than 1,000 private schools in some accounts, with references to 177 schools and complaints examined. Money was reportedly collected under the label of “party fund” during Mahesh’s tenure as School Education Minister in the previous DMK government.
The FIR was initially registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections covering criminal breach of trust and cheating. An alteration report later added Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and named Mahesh (among others such as Arasakumar, Muthukumar, Suresh, and Raja) as an accused. Approval under Section 17A of the PCA was obtained from the state government.
Mahesh moves HC
Arasakumar was arrested in June and later faced detention under the Goondas Act and bank accounts linked to the accused and associates were frozen. CCB examined school managements, department records, electronic evidence, and statements. Premises linked to Mahesh in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli (including his Thennur Anna Nagar residence) were searched in mid-September; police seized documents, property papers, bank details, mobile phones, laptops, and other items. He was questioned for about eight hours on September 18 and cooperated by appearing and providing some income-tax returns.
Mahesh moved the Madras High Court for anticipatory bail and separately sought to quash the FIR against him. Justice V. Lakshminarayanan reserved orders earlier and, on October 26, dismissed the anticipatory bail plea. The prosecution opposed bail, describing the allegations as serious, noting an absconding key accused (Muthukumar), and arguing that custodial interrogation was necessary to prevent tampering with evidence.
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The defence stressed cooperation, lack of direct evidence of gratification received by the former minister, and readiness to appear when required. A detailed order was awaited at the time of writing; the quash petition was listed for later hearing.
DMK leaders slam TVK govt
Following the denial of the bail, CCB arrested Mahesh. Reports described this as a significant development in probes against former DMK ministers after the TVK government assumed office. The current government has pursued multiple cases involving alleged irregularities from the previous regime, including cash-for-jobs, land, and other issues, through agencies such as CCB, DVAC, and others.
DMK leaders, including former Chief Minister MK Stalin, have labelled the action a political vendetta aimed at silencing the Opposition, and also a diversionary tactic by the TVK government, while investigators and the prosecution have highlighted the seriousness of the allegations involving private school managements across the state. Mahesh has denied any wrongdoing and said certain persons may have used his name, and characterised the action as targeting Opposition voices.