Chennai: Central Crime Branch (CCB) police on Wednesday informed Madras high court that it received 177 complaints alleging that money was collected from private schools by promising to obtain permanent recognition, and was subsequently misappropriated.CCB made the submission on a plea moved by one of the accused, Muthukumaran, treasurer of Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association and a former MLA, seeking anticipatory bail apprehending arrest in the case. Recording the submission, Justice V Lakshminarayanan directed CCB to file a counter-affidavit and adjourned the hearing to Sept 10.Based on complaints from schools, CCB registered a case against office-bearers of Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association, including its president B T Arasakumar. On June 27, CCB arrested and detained him under the Goondas Act, based on a complaint by Elangovan, secretary of Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu.According to the complainant, Arasakumar operated an unregistered organisation under the name ‘Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association’ and claimed that he could obtain approvals — including permanent recognition, DTCP and CMDA approvals, among other statutory permissions — for private schools across the state through his political and official connections.He collected about ₹100 crore from the management of various schools, but failed to secure the approvals or refund the money collected, the complainant said.Arasakumar started off as a DMK functionary, then joined BJP, only to rejoin DMK a few years ago.
