With former DMDK MLA V. Muthukumar, a key accused in the alleged cash-for-approvals scam involving private schools, surrendering before a Chennai special court, a video featuring him and former DMK minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has drawn attention to their longstanding friendship.
The video, recorded during a visit to their former school, shows both men speaking about their school and college days and recalling how their political careers took different paths before Muthukumar eventually joined the DMK.
When asked about his school friends, Muthukumar said he had a gang of friends and expressed happiness at seeing Anbil Mahesh’s growth.
“Yes, I have my gang of friends. I am very happy to see the growth of my friend (Anbil Mahesh). To be honest, after college, he moved to the IT field. So, his field was different and I was happy. But in 2012-2013, he came to full-time politics following his father’s footsteps,” Muthukumar said.
Anbil Mahesh then recalled how Muthukumar had entered politics before him and became an MLA from the DMDK.
“Muthukumar was in the transport business but in our entire set, he was the first one to become an MLA in 2011. He became an MLA from Vijayakanth’s party DMDK. When I came to know he was the one who became the MLA, I was surprised. At that time, we used to go and observe the Assembly proceedings, they were in the Opposition. When I saw, I noticed him. I can never forget that. In 2016, he came to the DMK,” Mahesh said.
Muthukumar represented the Virudhachalam constituency as a DMDK MLA from 2011 to 2016 before joining the DMK.
The video comes into focus amid the ongoing investigation into the alleged private school approvals scam, in which both men have been named as accused.
Muthukumar Surrenders; Anbil Mahesh Seeks Bail
Muthukumar, 48, the second accused in the case, surrendered before the Chennai Special Court on Thursday. Special Court Judge L.S. Sathyamurthy remanded him to judicial custody until November 12, 2026.
The case involves allegations of crores of rupees being collected from private school managements in exchange for government recognition and other statutory approvals.
Former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh, who is lodged in Puzhal Central Prison in connection with the case, has moved the court seeking bail.
In its October 26 order rejecting Mahesh’s anticipatory bail plea, the Madras High Court recorded the State Public Prosecutor John Sathyan’s submission that Muthukumar, who was then absconding, was being shielded by Mahesh.
As reported in India Today, the prosecutor had submitted: “Investigation has revealed that A2, the absconding accused, is being shielded from the law-enforcing agency by the petitioner herein. Hence, it is the petitioner who is hampering the investigation. It is the intention of the police to confront the petitioner with A2.”
The special court has posted Mahesh’s bail petition for hearing on November 2. It will also hear his petition seeking the return of electronic gadgets seized from him. The court has separately deferred its decision on the Central Crime Branch’s request for five days of police custody of Mahesh to November 2.
In his bail petition, Mahesh claimed that he had fully cooperated with the investigation on September 16, 17 and 18 and had responded to the police notice. He denied evading the investigation or attempting to abscond or obstruct it and argued that custodial interrogation was unnecessary.
He also claimed that he had not been informed of the grounds for his arrest or given an arrest memorandum. He argued that the rejection of his anticipatory bail plea was not, by itself, sufficient grounds for his arrest.
Mahesh further submitted that there was no material to suggest that he would abscond, tamper with evidence, influence witnesses or hamper the investigation. Describing himself as a former MLA and minister with deep roots in society, he maintained that he was not a flight risk and undertook to continue cooperating with the investigation.
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