Three arrested in alleged Rs 100 cr Palani temple land fraud case

The CB-CID has arrested three people in connection with the alleged fraudulent registration of a 1.4-acre plot belonging to a religious institution affiliated with the Palani Murugan temple, officials said on Wednesday.

The land, located at the foothills of the temple and currently used as a free parking facility for devotees, has an estimated market value of ₹100 crore but was allegedly registered to private individuals for Rs 2 crore earlier this month.

The registration was carried out on July 6 despite an 1888 permanent endowment deed that dedicated the property exclusively for religious and charitable purposes and prohibited its commercial sale or transfer, officials said.

The transaction also allegedly proceeded despite written objections from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department.

The state government had earlier suspended Palani Joint Sub-Registrar Justin Manikandan and District Registrar Sasikala for their alleged role in the registration.

Manikandan, who is currently out on interim anticipatory bail granted by the Madras High Court, was recently questioned by the CB-CID for about seven hours.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has declared the disputed sale deed null and void.

The investigation was transferred to the CB-CID on July 15 following public and political outrage over the alleged fraud.

Investigators have so far questioned more than 80 people, including former temple officials, retired revenue officers and registration department staff, as part of the probe into the alleged wider network behind the transaction.