CHENNAI: The Registration Department has constituted a three-member inquiry committee to investigate allegations of irregularities in the registration of land belonging to the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Mutt in Palani, to establish the facts behind the controversial transaction.
The committee has been mandated to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations and ascertain whether the land registration was carried out in accordance with statutory procedures and departmental rules, even as the police case was transferred to CB-CID.
The panel comprises an Additional Inspector General of Registration, an Assistant Inspector General of Registration and a District Registrar. It will examine the circumstances under which the document was registered and fix responsibility if any procedural violations or administrative lapses are found.
As part of the inquiry, the committee will question the Sub-Registrar who was on duty when the document was registered, the Sub-Registrar who was on leave that day, the office assistant concerned and the District Registrar. Statements from other officials connected with the registration process will also be recorded.
The panel has further been directed to scrutinise the CCTV footage from the Sub-Registrar's office on the day of the registration to reconstruct the sequence of events and verify whether due procedure was followed throughout the transaction.
Meanwhile, Law Minister R Nirmalkumar asserted that no power centres were involved in the illegal registration and rejected the allegations. "We have no intention of shielding anyone in this case. Appropriate action will be taken against those found responsible," he said.