Former Tamil Nadu Minister Anbil Mahesh Arrested in Rs 100-Crore Private Schools Scam Case

CHENNAI, Oct 26: Former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister and DMK leader Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was arrested on Monday by the Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) in connection with an alleged Rs 100-crore fraud involving private school managements.

The arrest by the CCB’s Entrustment Document Fraud (EDF-3) wing came hours after the Madras High Court rejected his anticipatory bail application. Police detained Mahesh in Aminjikarai and took him to the Greater Chennai Police Commissionerate for questioning. According to an official statement, he will be produced before a court after interrogation.

The case centres on allegations that money was collected from more than 1,000 private school managements during Mahesh’s tenure as education minister between 2021 and 2026. Investigators suspect the payments were solicited under the pretext of party contributions in return for permanent recognition and other statutory clearances.

The Tamil Nadu government had strongly opposed his pre-arrest bail plea, describing the alleged offence as a form of “financial terrorism”. Justice V Lakshminarayanan dismissed the application on Monday after reserving the order on October 16.

Reacting to the arrest, DMK president M K Stalin accused the ruling TVK government of political vendetta. In a post on X, he maintained that Mahesh had cooperated with the investigation and alleged that the action was intended to divert attention from concerns over law and order and the functioning of the administration.

Stalin asserted that the former minister would contest the allegations through legal channels, adding that the government would not be able to evade public scrutiny through such measures.

Senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan criticised the DMK over its response, alleging double standards. She said that if Mahesh was innocent, he should establish his case before the court, arguing that the party could not dismiss the allegations outright.

Three other accused — B T Arasakumar, Suresh and Raja — have already been arrested in connection with the cheating case. The FIR was registered following a complaint initially lodged by the former general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association.

As part of the investigation, CCB personnel searched residential and office premises linked to Mahesh and several individuals associated with him. The searches covered locations in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli and Kallakurichi. Those searched included his aides Valadi Karthik, Arun Prakash and Prakash, along with Saravanan, Ramesh and Gokulakrishnan, relatives of a person identified as Muthukumar.

Police said documents and electronic devices were seized during the searches as investigators sought to establish the alleged transactions and identify those involved.

The case has also drawn the attention of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to investigate the suspected flow of funds.

The FIR also invokes provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, widening the scope of the investigation into the alleged collection of money and the use of official influence.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing, with further action expected as evidence is examined and the alleged financial transactions are traced. The allegations against Mahesh remain subject to judicial proceedings.