DMK president M.K. Stalin on Monday, 26 October 2026, sharply condemned the arrest of former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, alleging the ruling dispensation was deploying politically motivated action to distract the public from what he described as deteriorating law and order and deepening corruption within the administration.

The Arrest and the Case

Mahesh was taken into custody by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) after the Madras High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail application. The case centres on allegations that approximately ₹100 crore was fraudulently collected from private school managements on the promise of securing institutional recognition and statutory approvals. Following his arrest, the former minister was brought to the Chennai Police Commissioner's office, where CCB officers questioned him for more than two hours. It bears noting that the court's rejection of anticipatory bail does not constitute a finding of guilt, and the allegations remain subject to formal investigation.

Stalin's Reaction on X

Reacting to the development in a post on X, Stalin accused the government of pursuing a political vendetta against Mahesh despite his reported cooperation with investigators. He maintained that the former minister had been fully cooperating with the inquiry. Stalin alleged the administration hoped the arrest would temporarily shift public attention away from its own failures — specifically a worsening law and order situation and what he characterised as entrenched corruption. 'Such actions,' he asserted, 'would neither address public grievances nor enable the government to escape growing public anger.'

DMK's Political Counter

For the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Stalin's response framed the development squarely as targeted political persecution of a former minister. He made it clear that the allegations against Mahesh would be contested through the legal process, signalling the party's institutional backing as the investigation proceeds. Stalin reiterated that the ruling dispensation would not succeed in redirecting public resentment through arrests.

Context and What Comes Next

The arrest arrives at a charged political moment in Tamil Nadu, with opposition parties already pressing the state government on governance issues. This comes amid a broader pattern of post-power transitions in southern states where former ministers have faced legal scrutiny — a dynamic that both sides typically interpret through a partisan lens. The DMK's legal strategy and any further court proceedings will be closely watched, as will the government's response to Stalin's allegations of vendetta politics.