Chennai, Sep 16 (PTI): The Chennai City Police’s Central Crime Branch on Wednesday conducted searches at multiple locations in Tiruchi and Chennai linked to former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi in connection with an alleged multi-crore fraud involving private schools.
A police team began the search at Poyyamozhi’s residence in Thennur Anna Nagar in Tiruchi around 7.30 am. Searches were also conducted at other locations linked to the former minister and his aide Valadi Karthik, police sources said.
The case has been registered under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Police allege that Poyyamozhi, who held the School Education portfolio during the previous DMK government, indulged in corruption and committed a breach of trust in connection with the alleged fraud.
The investigation follows the arrest of B T Arasakumar, 59, in June. He has been accused of collecting large sums of money from private school managements by promising school upgrades, permanent recognition and building-plan approvals, and subsequently cheating them.
Arasakumar allegedly operated an unregistered organisation called the Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association. Police said several crores of rupees had allegedly been collected from 177 private schools during the initial stage of the investigation.
The Central Crime Branch has so far questioned more than 250 people and seized government documents during inquiries with officials of the School Education Department, according to police.
Documents, mobile phones, computers, hard disks and other digital evidence have also been seized as part of the investigation. Police said financial transactions involving bank accounts linked to the accused and their family members were being verified and some accounts had been frozen.
The police have alleged that evidence gathered through witness statements, digital material and government documents indicated Poyyamozhi’s involvement in the alleged corruption and breach of trust.
The allegations have been rejected by the DMK.DMK president M K Stalin described the searches as an “act of political vendetta” and accused the ruling TVK government of using the raids to divert public attention from other issues in the state.Stalin said the DMK would legally fight what he termed a politically motivated action and asserted that “false allegations will not stand before the law either.”Former DMK minister K N Nehru also accused the government of “targeting” and intimidating DMK leaders who had “performed well” on the ground.Nehru said the DMK would approach the courts to prove the innocence of its leaders. He also claimed that police personnel at Poyyamozhi’s residence told him they had received “instructions from the top” not to allow anyone inside until the search was completed.The investigation is ongoing.
