CCB raids businesswoman's house in Anbil Mahesh case

CHENNAI: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Greater Chennai Police (GCP) on Tuesday searched the house of a businesswoman in Perungudi in connection with a multi-crore private school approval fraud case in which former school education minister Anbil Mahesh was arrested recently.

The police identified the businesswoman as Shanmugapriya. Sources said that she runs a textile showroom. The police said that they seized electronic devices from them. The police said further investigation in the case is under way to trace the money trail and the role of other associates.

Former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh was arrested on Monday hours after the Madras High Court denied anticipatory bail to him. He was later remanded in judicial custody.

Anbil Mahesh was booked by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) on corruption charges on September 18 in continuation of the CCB's probe into the alleged fraud perpetrated by Mahesh's associates.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Elangovan, Secretary of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, with the city police. 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, BT Arasakumar (59) of Saligramam on June 27. Two other accused -- Suresh and Raja -- were arrested later.

Over 250 people, including several government officials from the School Education Department, were questioned, and relevant government documents have been seized, the police said.

The inquiry 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. Twenty accounts linked to Arasakumar and his family and 29 accounts linked to another suspect Muthukumar are under financial scrutiny.