00:01And big breaking news that's coming in from Tamil Nadu.
00:03Anbil Mahesh, former Education Minister, DMK leader, has been arrested.
00:07This is in connection with a 100 crore corruption case.
00:11He's been accused of receiving 100 crores in bribes for granting approvals to private schools.
00:17He had filed for anticipatory bail that was shot down by the Madras High Court
00:21and so was immediately taken into custody.
00:23Those are images on your screen, sir, of the former minister being taken into custody,
00:28putting up a brave face, so all smiles as he's taken aim.
00:31But this is, let's be very, very clear, trouble for Anbil Mahesh,
00:35who's been accused of pocketing 100 crores by promising that private schools
00:41would get the necessary approvals from the government to go ahead and set up in Tamil Nadu.
00:45He was the Education Minister, so these are grave allegations against him.
00:49Pramod Madhav is joining us live from Chennai with more details on this.
00:53Pramod, big trouble this for the DMK.
00:55Anbil Mahesh, former minister, someone who is the closest aide to Udenidi Stalin,
00:59being taken into custody.
01:08Is that like you could actually see, you know, the people are all present at this location.
01:12This is at the Greater Chennai City Corporation, at three, Commissioner Office,
01:16and police very clearly are not allowing any kind of DMK cadres at this particular location.
01:23The important aspect, just like you mentioned, Anbil Mahesh is a very, very important leader
01:27when it comes to DMK, and he's one of the trusted lieutenants of the leader of the opposition,
01:32that is Udenidi Stalin.
01:33And what happened is that, just like you mentioned, his anticipatory bail was rejected by the Midrash High Court.
01:37And within hours, he has been arrested and has been brought in over here.
01:41Now, DMK cadres over here, including Prasanna, who was present earlier,
01:43also says that they are not aware as to where he is,
01:46and they are demanding that they want to meet Anbil Mahesh, but that is not being allowed.
01:48Very clearly, we've been told that he'll be taken for a medical check-up post-witch to the prison as
01:53well.
01:53But these are like, we are waiting for confirmation on this matter.
01:55The important aspect is that, like, what happened in the court,
01:58as far as like we got the information is that,
02:00one more accused in this particular case is absconding.
02:03And Anbil Mahesh is apparently being blamed for that particular issue,
02:06and that is why it looks like, you know, the argument went over the anticipatory bail issue today morning.
02:12However, as it was rejected, now the traditional police have arrested Anbil Mahesh right now, Akshita.
02:19Okay, so he's been taken into custody.
02:21The investigation will move forward.
02:22The Midrash High Court refusing to provide him protection from arrest.
02:26We'll track the latest that comes in on this.
02:28The DMK already crying political conspiracy, crying political vendetta over this particular case.
02:33The TVK says this is the first of many DMK leaders accused of corruption who will face action.
02:39Thanks very much, Ramoth, for those details.
