The raids, which began at Poyyamozhi’s residence in Thennur Anna Nagar, Tiruchirappalli, also targeted two properties associated with his aide Valadi Karthik. Police say the operations are tied to a case filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, alleging that the former minister abused his office to facilitate illegal financial gains for private schools while he headed the School Education Department in the previous DMK government.
Investigators have already arrested B.T. Arasakumar, a 59‑year‑old operator of the unregistered Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association, in June for allegedly extracting large sums from 177 private schools in exchange for upgrades, permanent recognition and building‑plan approvals, then cheating the institutions. Arasakumar was detained under the Goondas Act, and two additional suspects have been taken into judicial custody.
The Central Crime Branch reports that it has questioned more than 250 individuals, seized government documents from the School Education Department, and frozen the bank accounts of the accused, their family members and 29 other linked accounts. Financial investigators are scrutinising transactions across 20 accounts belonging to Arasakumar and his relatives, as well as 29 accounts tied to co‑accused Muthukumar.
During the searches, police recovered a cache of documents, petitions, mobile phones, computers, hard disks and other digital evidence that they say corroborates the alleged breach of trust by Poyyamozhi. The investigation remains ongoing, with officials indicating that further statements and forensic analysis will shape the next steps.
The raids have sparked sharp political backlash. DMK chief M.K. Stalin denounced the searches as a “political vendetta” by the ruling TVK government, accusing Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay of using the operation to distract from a litany of state issues ranging from power cuts to farmer protests. Stalin vowed to challenge the actions in court.
Former DMK minister and party principal secretary K.N. Nehru echoed the criticism, alleging that the TVK administration is deliberately targeting DMK leaders who have “performed well” on the ground. Nehru said the party would seek judicial relief to prove its innocence and called the raids an intimidation tactic ahead of upcoming by‑elections.