Chennai, Nov 12 — Chennai’s Central Crime Branch has frozen 29 bank accounts belonging to former DMK MLA Muthukumar as its investigation into an alleged Rs 100-crore bribery case involving private schools widens to examine financial transactions linked to former Minister Anbil Mahesh and other accused.
According to reports, police have seized Rs 4.5 crore from accounts associated with Muthukumar, who also serves as the state treasurer of a private schools’ association.
Investigators have additionally frozen 20 bank accounts linked to another DMK leader, Arasakumar, reportedly containing a total of Rs 4 lakh. The action comes amid an ongoing investigation into allegations that substantial sums were collected from private schools as bribes.
Anbil Mahesh, former school education minister in the DMK government, was arrested in connection with the case and put in Puzhal Central Prison. Muthukumar, who had allegedly been evading arrest, surrendered before a special court in Chennai on October 28.
The court remanded him in judicial custody until November 12. His current remand period ends on Thursday, with any extension requiring a further court order.
The Central Crime Branch registered a case against Anbil Mahesh, Arasakumar and Muthukumar and began examining their alleged involvement in the collection of money from private educational institutions.
The reported freezing of accounts marks a significant development in the financial investigation. Police are also reportedly scrutinising bank accounts belonging to Anbil Mahesh. Depending on the findings of that examination, investigators could move to freeze his accounts as well. However, the information available does not establish that such action has already been taken against the former minister.
The financial scrutiny is intended to establish the movement of funds and determine whether transactions involving the accused are connected to the alleged bribery. The reported amounts found in or seized from individual accounts should not, by themselves, be treated as proof that the money represents proceeds of the alleged offence.
While the overall allegation concerns Rs 100 crore, the reported action against Muthukumar’s accounts relates to Rs 4.5 crore, with a further Rs 4 lakh reportedly held in Arasakumar’s frozen accounts.
The allegations remain under investigation. Further developments will depend on the examination of banking records and subsequent court proceedings.