Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple
Madurai city police have registered an FIR against 19 persons based on a complaint from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department over the alleged illegal registration of properties belonging to a trust established to serve the famous Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple and Alagar Temple.
According to reports, the Madurai City Police’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) registered a case against 19 persons, including two Sub-Registrars, in connection with the illegal registration of properties, based on a complaint by the Joint Commissioner of Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple.
The case was filed on July 25 following a complaint by the temple’s Executive Officer, K. Chelladurai, alleging that the properties, which had been dedicated to the temple through a charitable trust, were unlawfully registered using questionable documents and procedures.
It is learnt that the FIR names private individuals and others suspected of playing a role in the registrations. Investigators will examine whether forged documents, false claims or misuse of the registration process were used to transfer the trust properties. Authorities are also verifying the ownership records and the legal status of the land.
According to reports, HR&CE Minister S. Ramesh told the media that properties measuring 1.79 acres had been fraudulently registered in 2021. He said the guideline value at the time was between Rs 20 crore and Rs 30 crore, while the market value was around Rs 60 crore.
It is reported that the Pudukottai Rajakumaranar Dakshinamurthy Durairaja Durairani Trust was established in 1930. Its properties on Alagar Kovil Road in Madurai comprise a bungalow named Ashoka Vilas and an adjoining garden. According to the trust deed, the property and the garden could be rented out, but there was no provision permitting them to be mortgaged or sold.
Anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam had brought the matter to the attention of Minister Ramesh, stating that the trust’s properties had been donated to support several religious services at the Meenakshi Amman Temple. In its complaint, the NGO alleged that the trust’s property on Hakkem Ajamalkhan Road in Ward No. 10 was removed from the records and unilaterally transferred to nine individuals by the Tahsildar of Madurai North, who issued pattas in their names on June 24, 2016. The Village Administrative Officer (VAO) was subsequently suspended and departmental action was initiated against the Tahsildar. The issue is now under investigation by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).
Following an appeal, the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) set aside the Tahsildar’s order and directed that the patta be restored in the name of the temple. Meanwhile, a petition was filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on March 22, 2021, and an interim stay was granted.
The Minister told the media that his department had written to the Sokkikulam Sub-Registrar and the Madurai District Registrar directing them not to register any property belonging to the temple. However, attempts were allegedly made to transfer the property, and those holding pattas in their names allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy and registered the property at the Murappanadu Sub-Registrar Office in Tirunelveli on April 4, 2021.
Arappor Iyakkam, in a post on X, said: “Using Section 28 of the Registration Act, properties worth Rs 60 crore had been registered at the Sub-Registrar offices in Murappanadu and Vadamadurai. Based on our complaint in 2023, FIRs have now been filed against 19 individuals. Minister Ramesh has confirmed this. When we probed how Section 28 was misused, we found that one Ilayaraja colluded with Nainar Balaji, son of BJP Tamil Nadu State President Nainar Nagendran, to register one acre of land located in Chennai at the Radhapuram Sub-Registrar Office. It was cancelled in 2023 following our complaint. We want an FIR to be filed in this transaction also. It has also come to light that the same Ilayaraja committed a similar offence involving Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple lands by misusing Section 28 of the Registration Act.”
Temple activist T.R. Ramesh has hailed the action taken by HR&CE Minister S. Ramesh in the matter.
He said the lands should be restored to the temple at the earliest and that it should also be ensured that fair rent is realised from them every year and utilised for the purposes of this Saivite denominational temple.
