TVK MLA ‘Horse Trading’ Allegation: Former Madurai Deputy Mayor PM Mannan Arrested, Bail

Former Madurai Deputy Mayor and AIADMK functionary PM Mannan was taken for questioning on Friday. | Photo credit: G. MOORTHY

Former Madurai Deputy Mayor PM Mannan, now with the AIADMK, was arrested by the Madurai Central Crime Branch on Friday (November 6, 2026) in a case related to ‘horse-trading’ allegations leveled by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam MLA VMS Mustafa. Mr Mannan was later released on bail.

The MLA, representing the Madurai Central Assembly constituency, filed a complaint with the Madurai city police alleging that an attempt was made to bribe him to vote against the TVK-led government in the no-confidence motion, according to police sources.

All day interrogation

After a day-long interrogation, the CCB formally arrested Mr. Mannan and produced him in the evening before a Special Court for hearing cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The judge refused to grant him bond and released him on personal recognizance. However, the court directed him to appear before the investigating officer of the CCB at 10 am on Saturday.

A view of the office of the Central Crime Branch of Madurai City Police, where former Madurai Deputy Mayor PM Mannan is being questioned in connection with a case involving an attempt to bribe Madurai Central MLA VMS Mustafa to force him to vote against the TVK government in a no-confidence motion, in Madurai on November 6, 2026 | Photo credit: G. Moorthy

Based on Mr. Mustafa’s complaint, the CCB registered a case against Mr. Mannan under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Amended 2018) and for criminal conspiracy under Section 61 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Mr. Mannan was picked up by the police from his Arappalayam residence in the early hours of Friday and taken to the crime branch office for questioning.

Mr Mannan was the Deputy Mayor of Madurai from 2006 to 2011 as a DMK candidate and was a staunch loyalist of former Union Minister MK Alagiri until the 2026 Assembly elections when he defected to the AIADMK. Mr Mustafa had recently alleged that he was offered ₹30 crore to vote against the TVK-led government.

Deputy Secretary for Political Education and former Deputy Mayor of Madurai, Mr. I strongly condemn the government’s campaign to arrest Prime Minister Mannan in a fake case. Thaweka is the party that did all the hard work before coming to power by horse-trading, kidnapping the AAM MUK legislator from our alliance and getting his signature. Holding the reins of power, the AIADMK lobbied lawmakers, asking, “Chief’s secretariat? Panayur’s branch?” Daveka is the only party that staged an unprecedented “resignation at the bottom, merger ceremony at the top” scandal to the horror of the people. This government which has no time to talk about all these facts has concocted a myth through Madurai Central Constituency Assembly Member Mustafa and Association Trustee Mr. It is a shame that the King will arrest them and present a new drama. Unable to reach the Chief Minister and stuck between several Powercentres, there are reports that many MLAs of the ruling parties are unhappy with Thavek’s regime. Is this government making up such a story without knowing how to pacify its own party MLAs? Doubts are strongly emerging. Let the government remember that at the end of the same story it will be them who will be white! At once, sir, I urge the king to release them and stop such low-level political games with this fake horse government. @AIADMKOfficial

— Edappadi K Palaniswami-SayYEStoWomenSafety&AIADMK (@EPSTAmilNadu) November 6, 2026

EPS slams arrest

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday condemned the arrest of the former Madurai Deputy Mayor and criticized the police.

In a post on social media, Mr Palaniswami alleged that a “false case” had been filed against Mr Mannan and said the arrest was part of a “diversion tactic”.

Mr. Palaniswami called for Mr. Mannan’s release and urged the TVK-led government to desist from such “political acts”.

AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran also criticized the TVK-led government, accusing it of discriminating between complaints against the ruling party and complaints against opposition parties. He urged the Chief Minister to order an inquiry into the complaints against persons belonging to the ruling party.

Published – November 6, 2026 12:45 PM IST