The Central Crime Branch police are conducting a search at the Perungudi residence of Shanmugapriya in Chennai in connection with an alleged bribery case involving former Tamil Nadu minister Mahesh and payments reportedly sought from private schools for government approvals, according to a report by Dinamalar.
The case concerns allegations that more than Rs 100 crore was collected as bribes from private schools during the earlier Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government to secure official permissions. A case has been registered against former minister Mahesh, DMK functionary Arasakumar and Muthukumaran, and an investigation is under way, the report said.
Arasakumar was previously arrested and later released on bail. Mahesh was arrested by police on the 26th and remanded to Puzhal prison, according to the report. The investigation has also included questioning people suspected of being connected to the case and searches at premises linked to them.
The latest search is being carried out at Shanmugapriya’s home in Perungudi. Dinamalar reported that she is considered close to Mahesh, while also making clear that information about her connection to the former minister was emerging in relation to the investigation. The report did not state whether she had been arrested or whether the search had resulted in any seizure.
The allegations place the approval process for private schools at the centre of the investigation. Such permissions determine whether educational institutions can secure the government clearances needed to operate, making the case relevant not only as a corruption investigation but also as a question of how administrative approvals are handled in the education and construction ecosystem.
The available report does not provide details of the specific approvals allegedly involved, the number of schools affected, the agencies that processed them, or the total value of assets seized during the searches. It also does not report a response from Mahesh, Shanmugapriya or the other named individuals to the allegations.
The Central Crime Branch’s searches and questioning are part of the continuing investigation. Further details will depend on the agency’s findings and any subsequent court proceedings.
