This is a petition filed under Section 483 of the BNSS 2023 by A5 praying to enlarge him on bail, in a case registered in Crime No.64/2026 by the respondent police. The facts which are required for the disposal of this petition on merits, are culled out from the FIR and other connected materials available on record, are as follows:

The petitioner had served as a Minister for School Education from 2021-2026 in the State of Tamilnadu and a public servant with in the definition of Section 2(c) of PC Act, 1988.

On 23.06.2026 one D.C. Elangovan, Secretary of Private School Management Association, a registered body of Private School managements has lodged a complaint in the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Vepery, Chennai, alleging that there was about Rs.100 crores collected as bribe amount on threat and forgery by deceiving the Private School Managements.

In the said complaint, he further alleged that one B.T. Arasakumar (A1) (Mobile No. 9840823453) has been facing several criminal cases particularly, a case in Cr.No. 48/2013 under sections 406, 420, 506(i) IPC and another case in Cr.No. 50/2013 under similar provisions of law, both on the file of the DCP, Pudukottai. There is yet another case in Cr.No. 386/2013 on the file of the Crime Branch, Pudukottai District and there are other cases also registered in Cr.No.272/2013 against him on the file of the Viralimalai Police Station. He has floated an Association in the name and style of Tamilnadu Private Schools Association and claimed himself as Founder President.

Another one Muthukumar (A2) (Mobile No.9342910481) formerly Member of Tamilnadu Legislative Assembly represented Virudhachalam constituency, is a close associate of the A5, also hand joined with A1, had demanded bribe amounts from the Private School Managements by giving false assurance to obtain permanent recognition, up gradation, DTCP/CMDA approval, buildings-related permissions and other Government approvals for private schools.

Both A1 and A2 organized a grant event of the Tamilnadu Private Schools Associations on 30.12.2024 in the Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai in which the petitioner herein participated as a Chief Guest and delivered a speech. He assured that the grievances of the Private Schools Management will be redressed soon as he was handling the portfolio of School Education and serving as a Minister of Education in the Government of Tamilnadu. He also assured that the grievances that will be brought to his notice, through A1 and A2 will be looked into and redressed immediately. Both A1 and A2 along with this petitioner conspired together and demanded amount, which is a illegal gratification, from the Private Schools Managements to upgrade the private schools and also to issue permanent recognisations, approvals for the school buildings which were constructed without the mandatory DTCP and other approvals. A1 has also opened an A/c No. 0931201102254 in the name of BTK Education Development Trust, in Canara Bank, Tondiarpet Branch and the bribe amounts are collected by deceiving and also threatening the Private School Managements. A huge sum of amounts deposited by the Private School Managements in the account opened and maintained by A1.

After the criminal law was set into motion, by lodging a complaint, the respondent started investigation and recorded the statements of witnesses as per Section 180 BNSS by the investigating officer and some of the witnesses have also appeared before the Judicial Magistrate and their statements are recorded as per Section 183 BNSS. The petitioner had direct interaction with some of the Managements of Private Schools and had collected amounts from them on the ground that it is for “party fund” and he assured them necessary Government orders would be issued on receipt of the amounts for “party fund”.

This petitioner had already filed a petition in Crl.OP.No. 28363 of 2026 before the Hon’ble High Court, Madras challenging FIR in Cr.No. 64/2026 and prayed to quash it. It has