Private school approval fraud: CCB raids 4 locations in Kallakurichi

CHENNAI: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Greater Chennai Police on Saturday searched four locations in Kallakurichi district in connection with the multi-crore fraud involving former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh and his associates.

While three persons were arrested in connection with the case and premises of the former minister were searched two weeks ago, CCB officials on Saturday conducted searches at the house and office of the relatives of Muthukumar, one of the prime suspects in the case, who is now absconding.

Muthukumar was involved in financial transactions by claiming to get government approvals from private school managements at his company named Global 360 Degree in T Nagar, Chennai, and his relative Saravanan was found to have abetted him in the transactions, investigations have revealed.

On Saturday, police conducted searches in his relatives’ houses – Saravanan and Ramesh – in Kallakurichi, and the house and shop of Gokulakrishnan in Kallakurichi and seized 30 bank-related documents.

Earlier, on September 16, the CCB had said that they had booked the former minister on corruption charges and launched simultaneous searches at nine locations in Chennai and Tiruchy, and also places belonging to his aides Valadi Karthik, Arun Prakash and Prakash. Property documents, bank details, cheques and electronic devices were seized.

The case stems from a complaint filed by Elangovan, Secretary of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, with the Chennai City Police Commissioner. He alleged that a network had collected money from private school managements after promising to secure government approvals, including permanent recognition, upgradation, DTCP clearance and other clearances.

Based on the complaint, the CCB registered a case and arrested the prime accused, B.T. Arasakumar (59) of Saligramam, Chennai, on June 27. He was later remanded in judicial custody and detained under the Goondas Act. Two other accused, Suresh and Raja have also been arrested in the case.

Police said that over 250 people have been examined across Tamil Nadu, including several government officials from the School Education Department, and relevant government documents have been seized.

Preliminary inquiry has revealed that several crores of rupees were allegedly collected from 177 private schools on false assurances. Bank accounts linked to the accused, their family members and associates have been identified and frozen – 20 accounts linked to Arasakumar and his family and 29 accounts linked to another suspect Muthukumar are under financial scrutiny.