CHENNAI: The special court for trial of cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, has permitted the Central Crime Branch police to take former school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi into custody for interrogation from November 2 to 4 in connection with the alleged Rs 100-crore private schools cheating case.

The DMK leader, who was arrested on October 26 in connection with a case involving the alleged cheating of private schools, has filed a bail petition. He later filed another petition seeking the return of the electronic gadgets seized from him.

Meanwhile, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Chennai police filed a petition before the special court seeking five-day custody of Mahesh for interrogation. When the petition came up for hearing before special judge LS Sathiyamurthy, Mahesh’s advocate senior counsel Abudu Kumar Rajaratnam requested that all portions of the interrogation, except the time spent travelling to and from the places of interrogation, be video-recorded.

After hearing both sides, the judge permitted the CCB to take Mahesh into custody from 1 pm on November 2 until 5 pm on November 4.

The judge directed the police to obtain medical fitness certificates from the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital before and after the interrogation. The court also permitted advocate PK Babu, representing Mahesh, to remain present during the interrogation, provided he stays at a distance where he cannot hear the questions or answers.

The interrogation must be video-recorded, and Anbil Mahesh can meet his advocate for 10 minutes every evening during the custody period.

The judge further directed the police not to subject him to any physical or mental harassment and to produce him before the court in good health.

The bail petition and the plea seeking the return of the electronic devices seized from him will be heard on November 5.