Private schools bribery case: Court allows police to question Anbil Mahesh till Nov 4

A special court in Chennai on Monday, November 2, granted the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Greater Chennai Police three days of custody to interrogate former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. He was arrested in an alleged multi-crore bribery case related to irregularities in granting approvals to private schools.

Mahesh, who served as School Education Minister in the previous DMK government, was arrested by the CCB on October 26 following a complaint by an association of private schools alleging that crores of rupees were collected from school managements in exchange for government approvals, including permanent recognition. He is currently lodged in Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai.

The Special Court for Cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act had granted the police custody after the CCB sought five days to interrogate him. The police suspect that bribes of up to Rs 400 crore may have been collected in the alleged scam.

Mahesh was brought from Puzhal prison and produced before Special Court Judge L S Sathyamoorthy on Monday. Partly allowing the police plea, the judge permitted the CCB to interrogate him from 1 pm on November 2 until 5 pm on November 4, The Hindu reported.

During the hearing, the judge reportedly asked the police if they had any objection to videographing the crucial parts of the interrogation. The police said the entire proceedings could not be video-recorded, while the former minister's counsel sought recording of all interrogation proceedings, except the time spent transporting him.

The court directed the police to first take Mahesh to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai and obtain a medical certificate confirming that he was fit to undergo interrogation. A fresh medical fitness certificate must also be obtained and submitted to the court when he is produced after the custody period.

The judge permitted a lawyer representing Mahesh to remain present during questioning, provided the lawyer stays at a distance from which he cannot hear the questions or answers. The interrogation must be video-recorded.

The court also directed the police to allow the DMK leader to meet his lawyer for 10 minutes every evening. It cautioned the police against subjecting him to physical or mental harassment and directed them to produce him before the court in good health after the interrogation.

The police were further directed to comply with the court's earlier orders concerning his food, medication and other requirements during the custody period.

The court will hear the former Minister’s bail petition and his plea seeking the return of certain electronic devices seized by the police on November 5.

The case was registered following a complaint by DC Elangovan, secretary of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu. 

The case was registered under Sections 316(5) and 318(4), read with Section 3(5), of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deal with criminal breach of trust by a public servant, cheating and joint liability arising from common intention.

Mahesh is also accused of collecting money from more than 1,000 private school managements in the guise of a “party fund” during his tenure as School Education Minister.

Four others, including former DMK MLA V Muthukumar and BT Arasakumar, have also been arrested in connection with the case.