DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was arrested on Monday in connection with an alleged ₹100-crore bribery scam involving approvals and statutory clearances for private schools. The arrest came shortly after the Madras High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition.
Mahesh was arrested by the Greater Chennai Police’s Central Crime Branch (CCB), which is investigating allegations that money was collected from private school managements in exchange for permanent recognition and other administrative approvals.
Over 1,000 Private Schools Under Scanner
According to the allegations, Mahesh collected money from more than 1,000 private school managements under the guise of a “party fund” during his tenure as School Education Minister from 2021 to 2026.
The alleged payments were reportedly linked to the issuance of permanent recognition and other administrative clearances required by private educational institutions to operate.
The CCB has registered a First Information Report (FIR) in the case, invoking provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The allegations are under investigation, and the claims against Mahesh have yet to be established in court.
ED Probes Suspected Money Trail
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to investigate the suspected financial transactions linked to the alleged scam.
The agency’s investigation is expected to examine the movement of funds suspected to have been collected from private school managements and determine whether the money was channelled through intermediaries or other entities.
The case centres on allegations of corruption in the process of granting recognition and statutory clearances to private schools across Tamil Nadu.
Mahesh’s arrest marks a significant development in the investigation, following the Madras High Court’s rejection of his anticipatory bail plea. Further proceedings will determine the course of the case as investigators examine the allegations and the suspected financial trail.