A Tamil Nadu school approval bribery case has expanded after a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) functionary identified in a Dinamalar report as Muthukumar surrendered before a Chennai special court, according to the publication. The report says the case involves allegations that more than Rs 100 crore was collected from private schools in exchange for government approvals during the DMK administration.
The report attributes the investigation to the Central Crime Branch and says former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh, private schools association president Arasakumar and DMK functionary Muthukumar were booked in connection with the case. It says Mahesh was arrested on the 26th and remanded to Puzhal prison, while Arasakumar had already secured bail.
The report further says Muthukumar had been absconding since June before appearing before the special court. It describes him as a close associate of Mahesh and says he had previously served as the elected representative for the Virudhachalam constituency and as vice-president of the Parent-Teacher Association during the DMK administration.
The case has also widened to include searches, with Central Crime Branch officers reportedly conducting a search at the residence of Shanmugapriya, described in the report as an associate of Mahesh. The supplied report does not provide details of the material seized during the search, the specific approvals allegedly involved or the number of private schools affected.
The allegations, if established, would point to vulnerabilities in the administrative system through which private schools seek government permissions. Such approvals can involve compliance with regulatory, safety and education requirements, making the integrity of the process significant for school operators, parents and students. The supplied report does not establish whether any approvals were granted improperly or whether any school’s operation was affected by the investigation.
There is a material discrepancy in the supplied source that requires clarification before the identities involved can be treated as settled. Its headline identifies the accused as former MLA Charan, while the article body names Muthukumar and describes him as the former MLA from Virudhachalam. The report also does not include the case number, the court’s order, the sections invoked or statements from investigators and the accused.
The reported surrender is therefore a significant procedural development, but the central allegations remain claims attributed to the ongoing case. Confirmation from the Central Crime Branch, the special court record or other primary documents is required to establish the accused person’s identity, the precise charges and the evidentiary basis of the alleged Rs 100-crore-plus collection. The next formal step will depend on the court proceedings following the reported surrender.
