Tamil Nadu: Ex-DMK Minister Arrested In Rs 100 Cr Private School Scam; Asked For Bribe On Pretext Of 'Party Fund'

DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was arrested on Monday by the Greater Chennai Police's Central Crime Branch (CCB) in connection with an alleged Rs 100-crore private school approval scam.

The arrest followed the Madras High Court’s decision earlier on Monday to dismiss his anticipatory bail petition in the corruption case, which is linked to the granting of recognition and other administrative approvals to private schools across Tamil Nadu.

Chennai Police say they have arrested former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister and DMK leader Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi in connection with an alleged ₹100-crore private school approval scam. The case involves allegations that money was collected from private school managements by promising government approvals, permanent recognition and permission to upgrade schools.

— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2026

Justice V Lakshminarayanan rejected the plea filed by Mahesh after the prosecution added provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) to the case. The former minister has separately approached the court seeking to quash the FIR against him.

All about the case

The case originated from a complaint lodged by a former general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association against its president, B T Arasukumar, and other office-bearers.

According to the complaint, association representatives collected money from private schools as membership and subscription fees, promising to secure no-objection certificates, licences, recognition, and renewals. The complainant alleged that these assurances were not fulfilled despite the collection of funds.

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The prosecution submitted an alteration report to the Metropolitan Magistrate, adding offences under Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and naming Mahesh as an accused.

DMK Minister Refuses Allegations

Refusing the allegations, Mahesh submitted that there was no material evidence on record to establish that he had received any illegal gratification, noting that no specific overt act had been attributed to him to substantiate his alleged involvement.

The former minister also questioned the timing of the complaint, contending that it was lodged after the elections and the subsequent change of government. He suggested that personal differences between the complainant and the association president may have motivated the allegations.

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Furthermore, Mahesh maintained that the complaint and witness statements themselves indicated that certain individuals had collected money from private schools by using his name, arguing that this did not prove he had personally received funds or engaged in any wrongdoing.

What Investigation Found

According to the Chennai police, Poyyamozhi is an accused in an alleged Rs 100-crore bribery scam involving claims that funds were collected from around 177 private school managements and potentially over 1,000 managements overall across Tamil Nadu.

Mahesh is accused of collecting money from over 1,000 private school managements in the guise of a "party fund" during his tenure as School Education Minister (2021-26), in exchange for permanent recognition and other administrative approvals, reported PTI.

Mahesh won election from the Thiruverumbur constituency in both 2016 and 2021, serving until the party lost power in the 2026 Tamil Nadu state elections following TVK's historic win.

An FIR has been officially registered by the CCB under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to trace the financial trail linked to the alleged scam.