India News | Former TN Minister Anbil Mahesh Remanded to Judicial Custody Till Nov 6 in Rs 100-crore Private School Approval Case
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister and DMK leader Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was taken to Puzhal Prison after the Madras High Court remanded him to judicial custody till November 6 in connection with an alleged private school approval scam.
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 27 (ANI): Former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister and DMK leader Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was taken to Puzhal Prison after the Madras High Court remanded him to judicial custody till November 6 in connection with an alleged private school approval scam.
Anbil was arrested on Monday after the Madras High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition. Justice V. Lakshminarayanan rejected the plea, observing that custodial interrogation was necessary to investigate the alleged collection of money from private school managements in the name of a “party fund” and trace the final destination of the funds.
Anbil Magesh Poyyamozhi was arrested from an apartment in Aminjikarai, Chennai, and taken to the Greater Chennai Police Commissionerate for questioning. After preliminary questioning, he was taken for a medical examination before being produced before the court.
After the medical examination, Poyyamozhi was brought to the Madras High Court, where legal proceedings continued. The defence challenged the legality of the arrest and remand, arguing that mandatory legal procedures had not been followed.
Poyyamozhi was subsequently produced before the Special Court for cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act at around 10.10 p.m. on Monday, following his medical examination at a Rajiv Gandhi government hospital in Chennai.
After hearing arguments from the defence lawyers, including Wilson and Saravanan, and the prosecution represented by John Sathyan for two hours, Judge L.S. Sathiyamurthy remanded Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi to judicial custody till November 6. He was later taken to Puzhal Central Prison.
Reacting to the court’s order, DMK spokesperson and advocate Saravanan Annadurai termed the arrest illegal and alleged that the case had been fabricated for political reasons.
“The arrest is illegal. The anticipatory bail application was dismissed at 12 o’clock in the morning,” Annadurai said.
He said the defence had pointed out to the judge what it considered to be the illegality of the remand and alleged that mandatory procedures had not been followed.
“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.” He said.
Annadurai added that the judge had considered the arguments but still remanded Anbil Mahesh to judicial custody. He said they would challenge the order before a higher court.
“The judge considered all of that, but still remanded him. We will appeal this order and prove to the court that this arrest and remand are illegal, arrest is not required, and the entire case has been fabricated for political reasons,” the DMK spokesperson said.
The case relates to allegations that money was collected from private school managements in the name of party funds by promising government approvals, permanent recognition and permission to upgrade schools during the previous DMK regime, when Anbil Mahesh was the School Education Minister. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)