Chennai, Sept 28:
Former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has approached the Madras High Court seeking quashing of the case registered by the Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) over the alleged illegal collection of more than Rs 100 crore from private schools during the previous DMK regime.
The High Court on Monday said the petition would be taken up for hearing on Wednesday.
The case was registered based on complaints lodged by T.C. Elangovan, president of an association formed a few months ago, and administrators of several private schools. They alleged that more than Rs 100 crore had been illegally collected by promising to secure permanent recognition, DTCP and CMDA approvals and other statutory clearances for over 1,000 private schools during the previous DMK regime.
Based on the complaints, the Chennai CCB registered an FIR on June 27. The case was registered against Anbil Mahesh, who served as School Education Minister in the previous DMK government, private schools association president P.T. Arasakumar, former MLA Muthukumar, Suresh, Raja and others.
Arasakumar was subsequently arrested in connection with the case. On September 16, CCB personnel conducted searches at nine locations, including the residence and offices of Anbil Mahesh and the residences of his relatives. The police said they seized more than 100 documents and digital pieces of evidence during the searches.
Following a summons issued by the CCB, Anbil Mahesh appeared before the investigating officers on September 18 and faced questioning.
Against this backdrop, Anbil Mahesh has filed a petition before the Madras High Court seeking quashing of the case registered against him under four sections. He has also filed a petition seeking exemption from producing a copy of the FIR.
The petition came up for hearing before Justice V. Lakshminarayanan on Monday. Appearing for Anbil Mahesh, senior counsel Richardson Wilson requested that the petition be listed for hearing without insisting on a copy of the FIR.
Accepting the request, the judge directed the Registry to complete the process of numbering the petition and list the matter for hearing on Wednesday.