Former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister and senior DMK leader Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was produced before the Special Court for Prevention of Corruption Act cases in Chennai after he was arrested in an alleged scam to approve private schools.
The development has created political and public interest in Tamil Nadu as the investigation is on illegal money collection from private school managements by government in return for recognition, statutory approvals and permissions to upgrade educational institutions.
The former minister was brought before the court on the night of October 26, 2026 after undergoing medical examination at a government hospital in Chennai. It was a major development in corruption probe that questioned financial irregularities during previous TN government.
Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was produced before the Anti-Corruption Court in Chennai. https://t.co/EhLfLYgGpp
— Vignesh Theni (@Vignesh_twitz) October 30, 2026
Reports said money was collected from managements of private schools by promising them government approvals, permanent recognition and other official permissions.
Whether an alleged network of people working with private school organisations had collected large sums of money from school administrators saying they could get approval through the School Education Department is being probed.
Allegations were made against Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi who was Tamil Nadu’s School Education Minister between 2021 and 2026. But these allegations are still under investigation and have not been proved in court yet.
The Chennai Central Crime Branch is investigating the case on complaints alleging money transactions in connection with private educational institutions. It is said to be investigating whether an unregistered association was used to collect money from school managements under the guise of getting official permissions and recognition.
Collections alleged to have been made run into hundreds of crores of rupees. Prosecution submissions say complaints say total amount involved could be ₹400 crore; other reports say it was an alleged ₹100-crore school approval scam. Investigators are trying to establish how much money was collected, who collected it and where the money went.
The legal battle ensued after Madras High Court rejected Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi’s anticipatory bail plea on October 26. Police arrested the former minister and took him for questioning when his plea was rejected.
He was brought before Special Court for cases under Prevention of Corruption Act at around 10:10 pm after completing medical examination at a government hospital. Special court Judge L.S. Sathiyamurthy heard arguments from both defence lawyers and prosecution before passing remand order.
Defence lawyers P. Wilson and Saravanan questioned the circumstances of Poyyamozhi’s arrest and legal process followed by the investigating authorities.
According to defence sources they had not obtained sanction from competent authority and custodial interrogation was not needed as much evidence was documentary in nature; objections were also raised on the way police arrested Poyyamozhi.
Public Prosecutor John Sathyan argued that further investigation was required to trace money trail, identify beneficiaries and involvement of others connected with alleged transactions.
The prosecution also reportedly said that evidence could be destroyed or witnesses influenced if the investigation was not allowed to proceed. The court heard both sides before ordering judicial custody for the former minister.
Judge L.S. Sathiyamurthy remanded Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi to judicial custody till November 6, 2026. The remand order was a stage in the ongoing investigation but it did not mean a finding of guilt.
The investigation has also focused on alleged role of other people in the case. Muthukumar (close aide of former minister) is one person who allegedly figured in the probe reports say.
The prosecution reportedly told the court that they need to question people who were part of the alleged collection network and find out where did it go? Authorities are also looking into financial records and transactions of private school managements as part of efforts to establish complete sequence of events.
The political fallout of the case has also been another major talking point in Tamil Nadu. The arrest of a DMK leader and former minister has made political representatives from both sides react (the ruling party says accountability is needed and the opposition party questions the circumstances of the investigation).
DMK representatives have reportedly termed it politically motivated and illegal and said they would contest it legally too. These competing positions have given another dimension to the controversy.
For now, it is all about the investigation, alleged financial transactions and legal proceedings to come. Authorities will continue to look at documentary evidence, question people related to the case and trace the alleged flow of money. The case has also triggered discussions on transparency in approvals for private schools and stronger safeguards in administrative processes.
Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi is in judicial custody till the next date fixed. Further developments in investigation and court proceedings are bound to attract a lot of attention across Tamil Nadu.
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