Anbil Mahesh Remanded: Former TN Minister Sent to Jail in Rs 100-Crore School Scam
Former TN Minister Anbil Mahesh sent to Puzhal Prison till Nov 6 over a Rs 100-crore private school approval scam. DMK alleges political vendetta.
In a major political development in Tamil Nadu, former School Education Minister and DMK leader Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has been remanded to judicial custody. The Madras High Court has ordered his detention at Puzhal Prison until November 6 in connection with an alleged Rs 100-crore private school approval scam.
The Allegations: A High-Stakes Approval Scam
The case centers on serious allegations of corruption during the previous DMK regime, when Anbil Mahesh held the portfolio of School Education Minister. It is alleged that money was collected from various private school managements under the guise of "party funds."
In exchange for these payments, the managements were reportedly promised critical government favors, including:
- Official government approvals for schools.
- Permanent recognition for educational institutions.
- Permissions to upgrade their school facilities and status.
The Arrest and Court Proceedings
The arrest took place after the Madras High Court bench of Justice V. Lakshminarayanan dismissed Anbil Mahesh's petition for anticipatory bail. Following the court's decision, Chennai police apprehended the former minister from an apartment located in the Aminjikarai area of Chennai.
The legal battle intensified as the DMK leadership challenged the nature of the remand. DMK spokesperson and advocate Saravanan Annadurai has termed the arrest "illegal," claiming that the anticipatory bail application was dismissed at midnight and that mandatory legal procedures were ignored during the remand process.
"We pointed out to the judge how this remand is illegal and how they have not followed the mandatory provisions that ought to be followed," stated Annadurai.
Despite these arguments, the judge proceeded with the remand. The DMK has indicated that they intend to appeal the order in a higher court to prove that the case has been fabricated for political motives.
Political Firestorm: 'Political Vendetta'
The arrest has sparked a fierce reaction from the DMK leadership. Udhayanidhi Stalin, the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move, referring to Anbil Mahesh as his brother.
Udhayanidhi slammed the administration, calling it a "circus" and alleging that the arrest is a calculated move to distract the public from several governance failures, including:
- The breakdown of law and order in the state.
- Soaring prices of essential commodities.
- Alleged misconduct by members of the Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK).
He further accused the current administration of being a "dummy" government orchestrating the arrest purely out of political vendetta to mask its own shortcomings.