Tamil Nadu | Meenakshi temple land grab case: Another held for forging documents

MADURAI: The city police on Saturday arrested another accused, Kali Kumar, in connection with the alleged fraudulent transfer of a Rs 60-crore property belonging to a trust attached to the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and Alagarkoil, in favour of private persons.

A police source said Kali Kumar of Sirumalai in Dindigul district had allegedly executed and registered a mortgage deed fraudulently at the Vadamadurai Sub-Registrar Office.

This is the fourth arrest made by the City Crime Branch (CCB) police in the case. On August 4, the special police team arrested Anbalagan, Personal Assistant (Land) to the Ramanathapuram District Collector, Rajkumar of Pudukkottai and Ilayaraja of Usilampatti in connection with the case.

According to the police, Anbalagan, while serving as the Madurai North Tehsildar, allegedly removed the temple’s ownership from the revenue records and transferred the patta in favour of Ramayi Ayyar and eight others on June 24, 2016.

After the temple administration took up the issue with the district administration, former Village Administrative Officer Arasan was placed under suspension, while departmental action and an inquiry by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption were recommended against Anbalagan.

Subsequently, the revenue authorities cancelled the patta and ordered that it be restored in the temple’s name. Despite this, Ilayaraja and P Anil, acting as power agents, executed a registered general power of attorney through the Murappanadu Sub-Registrar's Office and subsequently executed a mortgage deed at the Vadamadurai Sub-Registrar's Office in favour of Kavitha, Piragasu, and Kali Kumar.

The police action followed an FIR registered by the Madurai City Central Crime Branch (CCB) on July 25 based on a complaint lodged by Chellathurai, Joint Commissioner and Executive Officer of the temple. The complaint alleged that 19 persons had conspired to illegally transfer the trust property through fraudulent patta mutation, document registration and mortgage.

According to the police, a will registered in 1930 at the Saidapet Sub-Registrar Office states that the Ashoka Vilas Bungalow and its adjoining garden on Alagarkoil Road in Madurai belong to a trust established to render services to the temples.

As per the conditions of the will, the property could only be leased out and could not be sold, mortgaged or otherwise transferred.