A court in Chennai on Tuesday declined to grant bail to former DMK Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi in the alleged cash-for-approvals-for-schools scam, holding that a prima facie case has been made out against him in the commission of the crime.
Special Judge L S Sathiyamurthy dismissed the former school education minister’s bail petition, holding that the larger public interest is paramount.
After the Madras High Court dismissed the anticipatory bail application filed by Poyyamozhi, police arrested him on October 26, 2026, and he was lodged in Chennai Central Prison at Puzhal on the city outskirts.
Rejecting the bail plea, the Special Court for cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act judge cited the Supreme Court’s verdict in YS Jagan Mohan Reddy vs CBI (2013).
That verdict outlined factors such as the nature of accusations and evidence to be considered while dealing with the applications for bail. Accordingly, the bribe/cash for approvals for schools case has to be dealt with as an economic offence warranting a different approach in the matter of grant of bail, the judge said.
The Madras High Court, which rejected Anbil’s advance bail plea, had said that he is highly influential and therefore, the police argument that his release on bail may cause further delay and could hamper the collection of evidence cannot be easily brushed aside.