Chennai: A special anti-corruption court on Monday granted the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Chennai Police permission to take former DMK School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi into police custody for detailed questioning.
The multi-day custody period commences at 1:00 PM today and runs through the evening of November 4, following high-profile allegations of a massive ₹400-crore bribery scam linked to statutory clearances for private educational institutions across Tamil Nadu.
The CCB arrested the former minister on October 26 after preliminary probes uncovered an alleged systemic extortion racket targeting private school managements. Investigators maintain that officials and intermediaries routinely coerced school owners into paying hefty sums under the guise of "party funds."
In exchange, the department expedited permanent government recognition, granted approvals for institutional upgrades, and issued crucial building clearances through the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). Following his initial arrest, Mahesh was remanded to judicial custody at Puzhal Central Jail in Chennai through November 6.
Although his defence team promptly filed a bail application, police prosecutors submitted a counter-petition requesting his physical custody to trace the complete financial trail, seize incriminating documents, and identify additional co-conspirators involved in the syndicate.
After hearing extensive arguments from both sides, the Special Court for Anti-Corruption Cases reserved its order until November 2 before pronouncing the verdict to allow police custody today.
To ensure strict compliance with procedural rights, the special court mandated that Mahesh undergo a thorough medical examination prior to the start of questioning.
The bench explicitly warned the investigating team against subjecting the former minister to any form of physical or mental torture.
Furthermore, the court permitted an advocate representing Mahesh to remain present in the room throughout the interrogation process. The court has ordered the CCB to produce the accused back before the bench at 5:00 PM on November 5 once the interrogation window closes, even as enforcement agencies conduct parallel probes into broader money laundering channels tied to the scam.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
