CCB searches premises linked to former minister Anbil Mahesh in Rs 100 crore school fraud case

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) on Wednesday conducted simultaneous searches at premises linked to former School Education Minister and DMK leader Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli in connection with an alleged Rs 100-crore private school approval fraud case, police said.

Searches were carried out at six locations, including four premises linked to Poyyamozhi and two associated with his aide Valadi Karthik, officials said.

After an eight-hour search at his Tiruchirappalli residence, Poyyamozhi asserted his innocence, saying he had "no guilt and no fear".

The DMK leader said a team of more than 20 officials searched his residence from 7.40 am to 3.40 pm following allegations repeatedly raised by a YouTuber.

He said the officials took away routine files from his tenure as minister, including documents related to Class 10 and 12 results, achievements and district-wise reviews of the School Education Department.

Poyyamozhi said he extended full cooperation to the officials and allowed them to search every room and drawer.

The CCB registered a case against the former minister under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act after examining departmental records, financial transactions and electronic evidence linked to his tenure as School Education Minister, according to an official release.

The probe followed a complaint by the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, which alleged that private school managements were cheated through promises of obtaining permanent recognition, school upgradation, Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) clearances and other government approvals.

The CCB had arrested 59-year-old B T Arasakumar of Saligramam on June 27 for allegedly collecting more than Rs 100 crore from school managements by promising to secure such approvals.

Investigators have so far examined 177 affected private schools and questioned more than 250 people, including School Education Department personnel, police said. The CCB has also frozen 20 bank accounts linked to Arasakumar and his family and 29 accounts linked to another accused, Muthukumar.

During Wednesday's searches, the investigating teams seized representations submitted to government offices, private school approval files, financial documents, computers, mobile phones and hard drives.

The CCB said further investigation and verification of the seized digital and documentary evidence were under way.

Reacting to the searches, DMK president M K Stalin described them as a "blatant act of political vendetta" by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government.

"In frustration over being unable to fix problems shaking the state, the incompetent TVK government has launched the weapon of raids to divert people's attention," Stalin said in a post on X.

He said the DMK would fight the case through legal avenues and alleged that "false accusations" would not stand before the law.

Meanwhile, DMK cadres staged a protest outside Poyyamozhi's Tiruchirappalli residence, demanding that his legal counsel be allowed inside during the search. Police intervened after party workers raised slogans against the agency.

Senior DMK leader K N Nehru also attempted to meet Poyyamozhi but was denied entry by police personnel who had cordoned off the entrance.

Police have summoned the former minister to appear before the CCB office on September 18, sources said.