Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu), Sep 19 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department Minister S Ramesh on Saturday said a formal police investigation has been initiated into the fraudulent transfer of Sri Ranganathaswamy temple property allegedly by a DMK functionary, warning strict legal consequences.
Speaking to reporters here, the minister confirmed that an FIR has been registered and a multi-departmental investigation launched to probe the illegal title transfer and identify high-ranking officials or influential personalities involved in the scam.
Citing historical documents to substantiate the claim, Ramesh displayed archival title deeds to establish that the property unconditionally belonged to the Srirangam temple, and said a local DMK functionary had illegally transferred the name of the temple property and was currently using it as his party office.
“The 1866 Title Deed and the Original land grant records confirmed temple ownership. The 1910 Inam Commissioner Report, land survey entries marking the plot under temple jurisdiction and the 1930 ‘A’ Register categorise the land as religious property,” Ramesh asserted.
As recently as 2020, the Srirangam temple administration had submitted a formal written request to the Registration Department specifically instructing officials not to permit any sale, transfer, or encumbrance of the plot, he said.
Explaining how the property title was illegally altered despite explicit administrative warnings, Minister Ramesh alleged that the accused created a fake “missing original deed” certificate from a police station in Puducherry. Using this fabricated document, the perpetrator bypassed standard registration protocols and fraudulently transferred ownership into private hands.
“This level of systematic land grabbing could not have taken place without the active collusion or tacit backing of influential individuals and high-ranking officials,” Ramesh stated.
“It is a clear case of scientific corruption. The investigation is actively examining foundational land documents alongside registration logs to trace the procedural lapse,” he said.
He assured that the government will maintain total transparency throughout the proceedings and urged the public to submit credible evidence or documentation regarding similar instances of temple land encroachments over the past five years, promising swift legal action to reclaim all misappropriated religious properties across Tamil Nadu. PTI JSP JSP ROH
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