Chennai: The Chennai Special Court for Prevention of Corruption Cases on Friday deferred to Nov 2 its order on an application by Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) police seeking five days of custody of former minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi for interrogation in connection with the ₹100 crore 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 11 am on Nov 2. The DMK leader was arrested on Oct 26 after Madras high court denied him anticipatory bail.Representing the former minister, senior advocate Abudukumar Rajarathinam contended that Anbil Mahesh had already cooperated with the investigation. He said Mahesh’s properties were searched on Sept 16 and that he was questioned for eight hours two days later.The GO extending the recognition renewal period for private schools from three years to 20 years was issued after consultations involving several departments. Anbil Mahesh, the then school education minister, had merely forwarded the schools’ representation to officials for consideration. He can’t be implicated in the case for a collective policy decision, he added.He further argued that the custody application was moved to thwart Anbil Mahesh’s bail application. Claiming that the former minister had lost considerable body weight due to inadequate food in prison, the senior counsel requested the court to permit him to have home-cooked food and medicines.Representing the CCB, special public prosecutor for prevention of corruption cases, Usha Rani, said adequate medical facilities would be provided in prison and sought time to respond to the request for home food.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 MLA Muthukumar.
