Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi
CHENNAI: A special court for prevention of corruption cases in Chennai on Friday deferred to Nov 2 its order on the application moved by Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the city police seeking five days of custody of former school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi for interrogation in connection with Rs 100crore private schools recognition cheating case. After several hours of argument, special judge L S Sathyamoorthy sent Anbil Mahesh back to judicial custody with a direction to produce him before the court at 11am on Nov 2. Anbil Mahesh was arrested on Oct 26, after the Madras high court refused anticipatory bail to him.
She added that custodial interrogation was necessary to establish the money trail, examine the properties held by Anbil Mahesh and his family members, identify benami assets, and investigate the role of former DMK MLA Muthukumar.
He pointed out that searches were conducted at properties belonging to him on Sept 16 and that he was questioned for eight hours on Sept 18. Claiming that the former minister had lost considerable body weight due to inadequate food in prison and the senior counsel requested the court to permit him to avail home-cooked food and medicines.
“He answered more than 200 questions and furnished documents sought by the investigating officers,” Rajarathinam said. Representing the former minister, senior advocate Abudukumar Rajarathinam contended that Anbil Mahesh had already cooperated with the investigation. He further argued that the custody application had been moved to thwart the bail application moved by Anbil Mahesh.