CCB sought IT returns filed by me, my wife and mother-in-law for the last 10 years, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi told the Madras High Court

Former Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi (DMK) told the Madras High Court that the Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB), investigating a fraud case worth over ₹100 crore during his tenure as minister, has ordered him to submit income tax returns filed by him, his wife Janani and mother-in-law for the past 10 years.

In his anticipatory bail plea before Justice V Lakshminarayanan, the petitioner said the police had issued a notice to him on October 6, 2026, directing him to submit the IT returns of the assessment year 2015-16. The probe agency wanted the details to be submitted on or before October 8, 2026 and the direction was partially complied with.

The former minister said he filed his IT return from 2019-20, his wife filed from 2017-18 and his mother-in-law, who is currently in the United States, filed her return from assessment year 2022-23 to 2025-26. He said the reason the older IT statements could not be produced immediately was because of a change in auditor.

The petitioner told the court that he cooperated fully during the investigation and responded promptly to the calls of the police. He claimed that he did not evade or try to run away or obstruct the course of the investigation. He pledged his willingness to cooperate in the future and said it was therefore not even necessary to justify his arrest.

Withholding his arrest “in view of the change in the political situation in the state” and particularly because he was a “prominent leader” of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the main opposition party in the state, the petitioner said the investigation could be conducted effectively without his arrest or custodial interrogation.

He also told the court that there was no allegation or material to suggest that he might have absconded, tampered with evidence, influenced witnesses or otherwise interfered or tampered with the investigation. Without such circumstances, custodial interrogation would have no meaning. An arrest would be unnecessary and disproportionate to the demands of the investigation, he added.

As additional public prosecutor Arun Anbumani sought a day to file a counter-affidavit to the bail plea, the judge on Thursday adjourned the hearing on the matter till Friday.

Published – 16 Oct 2026 0:46 IST