Sri Soundararaja Perumal Temple at Thadikombu near Dindigul
A fresh controversy over temple properties has surfaced in Tamil Nadu after a sale deed involving property associated with the Sri Soundararaja Perumal Temple at Thadikombu near Dindigul was executed on July 16, 2026. Hindu Tamilar Katchi, Hindu Munnani and other outfits have raised questions over the transaction involving the S.V. Balusamy Iyyar and Brothers Trust and property attached to the temple.
Hindu Tamilar Katchi founder Rama Ravikumar has put the value of the properties at around ₹200 crore and alleged that they were dealt with despite their status as Specific Endowment/Kattalai properties and despite objections raised by the temple authorities against their registration.
The Thadikombu case has come to light amid the ongoing controversy over the alleged sale of 1.4 acres belonging to the Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple Mutt in Palani. The Palani property, valued at around ₹100 crore and reportedly being used as a parking facility for devotees, had allegedly been sold and registered in favour of two private individuals for just ₹2 crore.
The controversy surfaced on July 7 and was followed by a CB-CID investigation and arrests, bringing renewed scrutiny on the handling and registration of temple-linked properties in the State. It was against this backdrop that the transaction involving the Thadikombu temple-linked property drew attention.
Ravikumar, in his complaint to the HR and CE Commissioner and other authorities on August 10, alleged illegal registration and sale of properties belonging to the “Balusamy Iyer Chithra Pournami Mandagapadi/Endowment” attached to Arulmigu Soundararaja Perumal Temple, Thadikombu, Dindigul West Taluk, Dindigul District.
According to Ravikumar, he had already submitted a complaint regarding the property on August 5, 2026. He said he had also submitted petitions seeking action under Section 78 of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959, to the Assistant Commissioner, Joint Commissioner of HR and CE, Tahsildar, Dindigul West, District Collector and District Superintendent of Police.
Ravikumar said, “The persons who have created fraudulent documents relating to the Specific Endowment / endowment properties, concealed the true documents from the Court and obtained orders by misleading the Court, and thereafter carried out fraudulent registration of the properties, along with the persons who assisted them, should be subjected to criminal proceedings.”
He said that on July 16, 2026, a sale deed was executed involving the S.V. Balusamy Iyyar and Brothers Trust and property associated with the Thadikombu temple. The property is estimated at around ₹200 crore, making it potentially twice the value attributed to the disputed Palani property.
According to Ravikumar, the relevant documents stipulate that the properties should not be sold, transferred or otherwise dealt with and that the income derived from them should be used specifically for Mandagapadi expenses. He alleged that, contrary to these conditions, the persons presently managing or claiming the properties as legal heirs had taken steps to deal with them.
The complaint also points to objections raised by temple authorities well before the latest transaction. Ravikumar said the Executive Officer of the temple had submitted an objection letter on October 31, 2022, stating that the endowment properties should not be registered or dealt with.
He further said that on April 30, 2026, another objection letter was sent to the Dindigul Sub-Registrar and District Registrar, stating that no document relating to the properties should be registered in any manner.
“Since the temple was not made a party to those proceedings, the temple authorities have informed me that they did not become aware of the details of those cases,” he said.
Ravikumar said, “Since the properties are Specific Endowment / Kattalai properties, and since they have allegedly been illegally and fraudulently sold, I request that action also be taken under Section 78 of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959.”
The latest controversy follows a series of developments in the Palani temple land case. On July 12, 2026, five individuals were arrested by the CB-CID, which is investigating the case, including Sub-Registrar Justin Manikandan.
A separate case was also registered based on a complaint from Palani Sub-Registrar Eswari on August 11. The complaint concerned a private property in Ayakudi, near Palani, which was allegedly fraudulently transferred through fabricated documents and registered in violation of legal procedures on July 7, a day after the controversial Palani Mutt land was registered.
Police said Justin Manikandan, Mani, who allegedly sold the land using forged records, Kandaswamy, who is said to have bought the property, and Vijayakumar, a witness for the seller, along with two others, were involved in the case.
The alleged fraud came to light after the Registration Department conducted verification following reports about the disputed property. There were rumours that the property belonged to the temple, but verification found it to be private land.
Earlier, Central Crime Branch police had arrested Village Administrative Officer (VAO) Arasan in connection with the alleged transfer and registration of temple property worth Rs.60 crores belonging to the Madurai Meenakshi Sundaradeswarar Temple.
The developments have prompted Hindu organisations to seek a wider investigation into the handling and registration of temple properties. Hindu Munnani, in a post on X, sought a CBI probe into the issue.
Hindu Munnani’s post on X:
Hindu Munnani said, “It has come to our knowledge several temple lands were sold in fraudulent manner with forged documents. We expect the TVK government to order a probe by CBI in this issue.”
