Three arrested in alleged Rs 100 cr Palani temple land fraud case
Three people were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the alleged fraudulent sale of a 1.4-acre plot worth around Rs 100 crore near the famed Palani Murugan temple for just Rs 2 crore, officials said.
The CB-CID arrested Vellaithurai, 60, of Tiruppur, Anwardeen, 65, of Dindigul, and Murugadas, 56, of Viluppuram district, police sources said.
The land, located at the foothills of the temple and currently used as a free parking facility for devotees, was allegedly registered to private individuals on July 6 despite an 1888 endowment deed restricting its use to religious and charitable purposes.
The registration also allegedly went ahead despite written objections from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department.
The case was registered following a complaint by Muruganandam, Superintendent of the Palani Temple Lands Department. Four people, including Palani Joint Sub-Registrar Justin Manikandan, temple trust member Murugadas, Vellaithurai, who allegedly purchased the land, and Sethupathi of Palani Pudur, were named in the case.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has already declared the disputed sale deed null and void.
The state government had earlier suspended Manikandan and District Registrar Sasikala over the registration. Manikandan, who is out on interim anticipatory bail granted by the Madras High Court, was recently questioned by the CB-CID for seven hours.
The investigation was transferred to the CB-CID on July 15 following public and political outrage.
Investigators have so far questioned more than 80 people, including former temple officials, retired revenue officials and registration department staff, as they probe the alleged wider network behind the land transaction.
