Home / Crime and Justice / Madurai Temple Land Scam: Rs 60 Crore Property Transferred Illegally
Madurai Temple Land Scam: Rs 60 Crore Property Transferred Illegally
4 Aug
Summary
- Three arrested for illegally transferring temple property worth Rs 60 crore.
- The land, bequeathed for religious rituals, was illegally transferred in 2016.
- A former tahsildar was arrested for facilitating the fraudulent registration.
In Madurai, a significant fraud involving temple property has come to light, leading to the arrest of three men, including a former tahsildar. The accused are alleged to have been involved in the illegal transfer and registration of property worth an estimated Rs 60 crore. This valuable asset, consisting of the Ashoka Villas bungalow and a two-acre garden, is designated for the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple.
The property was originally bequeathed to the temple through a will executed in 1930, intended to fund religious rituals, charity, and scholarships. However, temple authorities reported that the property's status as an endowment was disregarded. Despite its designated purpose, the temple's name was allegedly removed from revenue records, and the patta was transferred to private individuals back in 2016.
Authorities initiated an investigation following a complaint from the temple's joint commissioner, naming 19 individuals. Two men were arrested on Monday for fraudulently registering the land. The subsequent arrest of the former tahsildar on Tuesday highlights his alleged role in facilitating the illegal registration process. While arrests have been made, police confirmed that no forged documents have been discovered thus far, emphasizing that the charges relate to fraudulent registration.
