Chennai: Temple lands have dominated political and legal discourse in Tamil Nadu since the TVK government came to power in May, with the new administration ordering action in alleged fraudulent registration, while also facing criticism over its handling of a separate dispute involving temple-linked land in Karur.
The Madurai City Central Crime Branch registered an FIR on 25 July against 19 people, including former revenue officials and sub-registrars, over alleged illegal transfer and registration of about 1.79 acres of land linked to a trust meant for services at the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and the nearby Alagar (Kallalagar) Temple. The two temple divisions, located at Chokkikulam, are estimated to have a market value of around Rs 600 crore.
The Meenakshi case comes amid heightened scrutiny of temple lands in Tamil Nadu.
Over the past two months, alleged illegal registrations, encroachments and disputes over temple-linked properties in Madurai, Palani and Karur have brought the functioning of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department under the spotlight.
The Vijay-led TVK government took swift action in the matter of the Meenakshi Temple, and an FIR was registered on 25 July under Sections 420 for cheating and 120B for criminal conspiracy of the Indian Penal Code.
The FIR was filed based on a complaint filed by Meenakshi Temple Joint Commissioner and Executive Officer K. Chelladurai. Anti-corruption organisation Arappor Iyakkam also played a role in bringing the matter to light, and filed a complaint.
According to the complaint and FIR details, a will registered in 1930 at the Saidapet Sub-Registrar’s Office created the Pudukottai Rajakumarar Dakshinamurthy Durairaja Durairani Trust to administer property connected to the Meenakshi Sundareswarar and Alagar temples.
The property, including the Ashoka Vilas bungalow and adjoining garden, was dedicated to support religious rituals, charity, and scholarships for the Meenakshi and Alagar (Kallalagar) temples.
The will allowed only leasing of the property and barred sale, mortgage, or transfer of ownership. Services funded include daily curd rice offerings to Goddess Meenakshi, distribution to devotees, sundal offerings, Sahasranama Archana during Navaratri, and weekly archana at Kallalagar Temple.
Temple authorities allege that on 24 June 2016, then Madurai North Tahsildar Anbazhagan removed the temple’s ownership from revenue records and transferred the patta to nine private individuals, including Ramayi Aiyar, Senthamilchelvi, Prema, Rajkumar, Muthurani, Rajendran, and others.
Former Village Administrative Officer Arasan was later suspended in August 2016, and departmental action was initiated against him, alongside a reference to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau against the tahsildar. The Revenue Divisional Officer later cancelled the order that same month and sought restoration of the patta in the temple’s name.
Despite the pending litigation, court orders, and objections from temple authorities through letters to sub-registrars not to register the property, further documents were allegedly executed to effectuate the transfer.
In April 2021, a General Power of Attorney (GPA)—a legal document authorising another person to deal with the property—was registered at the Murappanadu Sub-Registrar’s Office in Thoothukudi district by then Sub-Registrar Anantharaman, according to the FIR.
This was followed by the registration of a mortgage deed on 19 July 2021 at the Vadamadurai Sub-Registrar’s Office in Dindigul district, when Prashanth Santhana Karuppan was the Sub-Registrar. The FIR alleges that the accused suppressed the existence of pending litigation and court orders, and violated provisions of the Registration Act while executing and registering the documents.
Along with former VAO Arasan, former Tahsildar Anbazhagan/Anbalagan, Sub-Registrar Anantharaman, and Sub-Registrar Prashanth Santhana Karuppan, the 19 named in the FIR include private individuals such as Ramayi Aiyar, Senthamilchelvi, Prema, Rajkumar, Muthurani, Rajendran, Kulandhaiya (or Kadaiya/Kuzhanthaiya), Pushparaj, Jothi, Geetha, Ilayaraja, Anish, Kavitha, Prakash, and Kalikumar.
The Central Crime Branch is investigating the case, and no arrests have been made yet. Investigators have also sought additional records, including legal heir certificates from Pudukottai authorities, after one of the accused reportedly claimed succession through other heirs.
HR&CE Minister S. Ramesh confirmed last week the properties were fraudulently registered in 2021. He said Arappor Iyakkam, the anti-corruption NGO, had brought the issue to his notice after the new govt came to power and stated that the properties would be retrieved through legal means.
Arappor Iyakkam convener Jayaram Venkatesh said that the NGO had flagged the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple issue in 2023 to the DMK government, but no action was taken in this regard.
The minister said strict action would be taken in all such cases. As part of the initial departmental action, the government suspended the VAO, referred the then tahsildar’s role to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption for investigation, and initiated a broader review of properties belonging to major temples across the state.
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The Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Mutt case
A case was also reported in Palani last month after 1.4 acres of land belonging to the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Mutt linked to the Palani Murugan Temple, valued at around Rs 100 crore and used as parking for devotees.
Despite an 1888 endowment barring sale and written objections from HR&CE, a sale deed for Rs 2 crore was registered on 6 July 2026 by then Sub-Registrar (in-charge) Justin Manikandan.
After the issue surfaced, an FIR was registered on 13 July under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for cheating, forgery, and conspiracy after a complaint by temple land section superintendent S. Muruganantham.
The Madurai bench of Madras High Court declared the registration null and void. The case was transferred to CB-CID, which is probing how the illegal registration took place and who was involved.
Following the preliminary investigation, police arrested key accused, including Murugadas, the alleged seller and administrator of a private trust, Vellathurai, Sethupathi, and advocate Anwardeen.
The sub-registrar and district registrar were suspended, and departmental inquiries ordered by the HR&CE. The department has also sought strict action against those involved.
Opposition targets TVK govt
Meanwhile, Opposition parties also made claims linking HR&CE Minister S. Ramesh’s relatives to the alleged illegal registration of the Palani mutt land. However, Minister Ramesh strongly denied these allegations.
“I have no relatives involved in the transaction, and I learnt of the land’s details only after the case surfaced,” he told the media last month.
He has lodged a police complaint against those “spreading the claims”.
In another controversy in the Karur district, the ban on registration of about 3,085 acres of land involving 3,390 ryotwari patta holders linked historically to four temples was lifted on the recommendation of the District Collector and order of the HR&CE Commissioner. However, activist T.R. Ramesh alleged facilitation of transfer of high-value land claimed to be around Rs 25,000 crore to encroachers.
After an inquiry, the government stated that the land had been assigned decades earlier under the Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963, and the order only removed an administrative registration ban without transferring new ownership. A Public Interest Litigation has been filed before the Madras High Court in the case.
AIADMK members staged protests demanding a CBI probe in the case, alleging facilitation of illegal registration under the HR&CE watch and questioning the low registration value. Former minister Dindigul C. Sreenivasan led protests demanding a CBI probe into the alleged Rs 100-crore land registration in Palani.
BJP leaders also raised concerns over temple-related land issues. BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagenthran described the move as illegal, an abuse of administrative powers, and an “unprecedented betrayal” of temple interests.
He said, “The government has chosen to regularise the occupation of temple lands instead of protecting them. Temple properties valued at nearly Rs 25,000 crore have effectively been handed over to encroachers through this order,” he told the media. He demanded that the government immediately revoke the order and warned that the BJP would organise statewide protests if it was not withdrawn.
HR&CE Minister Ramesh rejected claims of wrongdoing by the department, and stated that action is being taken against errant officials and private persons, and emphasised accountability to protect temple assets. “We will not give away even a small portion of the temple land to anyone. At the same time, wherever people having pattas under the Act are unable to use their land, the government will take appropriate measures,” he said in a statement to the media Thursday.
The minister also announced reviews of major temple properties across the State. Madras High Court has also repeatedly directed protection of temple properties, recovery of encroachments, and adherence to the HR&CE Act and Registration Act provisions that restrict alienation of temple or endowment lands.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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