Case Could Be Termed An Economic Offence: Court
Chennai: Asserting that the ₹100 crore private school recognition cheating case could be termed as an ‘economic offence’, a special court for corruption cases here has declined to release on bail the arrested former school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. The issue pertains to a case registered by the Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) police based on a complaint that an unregistered association of private schools headed by one B T Arasakumar and former MLA Muthukumaran collected bribes to the tune of ₹100 crore promising to secure 20-year recognition and various other govt approvals for private schools. After inquiry, the CCB police added Anibl Mahesh who was the then school education minister as a co-accused and arrested him on Oct 26. He was subjected to custodial interrogation from Nov 2 to 4.
The welfare of the school children and their education would prevail over the petitioner’s private interest and his right to be enlarged on bail,” special judge L S Sathiyamurthy said while dismissing Anbil Mahesh’s bail application. “Public interest is prime and paramount consideration in this bail plea, made by the petitioner. As they failed to secure the recognition as promised or return the money collected, school management registered criminal complaints.
Refusing any relief to the petitioner, the court said, “The statements of the witnesses who have voluntarily made it to the investigating officer and some of the correspondents/managers of the private schools have appeared before the judicial magistrate and their statements are recorded. This court has a cursory look into them, they are fulfilling a prima facie right to link this petitioner with the alleged crime. ”
“Further, the investigation is in the initial stage, other named accused persons are yet to be secured. The process of custodial interrogation, if any, of A2, a surrendered accused, has just started by an application presented before this court. At this stage, it is not proper to release the petitioner on bail,” the court concluded.