Madurai police have registered an FIR against 19 individuals for allegedly seizing 1.79 acres of Meenakshi Temple trust land valued at Rs 60 crore. The investigation focuses on fraudulent property transfers and illegal mortgage deeds despite existing court orders prohibiting such actions.
The Madurai City Central Crime Branch has launched a formal investigation into a major property fraud involving a 1.79-acre land parcel linked to the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and Alagar Temple. Authorities have filed an FIR against 19 people, including former government officials, for their alleged involvement in a conspiracy to illegally transfer and mortgage the land, which is estimated to be worth Rs 60 crore.
Historical Property Restrictions and Alleged Violations
The disputed property, located on Alagar Kovil Road and known as Ashoka Vilas, is governed by a 1930 registered will. This legal document explicitly established the land as a charitable trust asset for the temple and strictly prohibited any sale, mortgage, or transfer of ownership, allowing only for leasing arrangements. The current legal action was triggered by complaints from the temple's Joint Commissioner and the anti-corruption group Arappor Iyakkam, who highlighted that these property protections were bypassed through administrative manipulation.
Official Involvement and Regulatory Gaps
Investigators are looking into how the land title was allegedly altered in official records in 2016 by the then-Madurai North Tehsildar. Although the Revenue Divisional Officer later struck down that order and reaffirmed the temple trust's ownership, the FIR suggests that the property was further targeted for illegal transactions. The investigation alleges that a General Power of Attorney was registered in 2021 at the Murappanadu Sub-Registrar’s Office, followed shortly by a mortgage deed registered at the Vadamadurai Sub-Registrar’s Office. The police have named the former officials involved in these specific registrations as part of the 19 accused.
Legal Charges and Ongoing Status
The accused face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, specifically relating to cheating and criminal conspiracy. The case highlights significant challenges in maintaining land records for religious and charitable trusts, as the suspects allegedly managed to orchestrate transfers across multiple districts to evade scrutiny. The matter remains under active investigation by the Central Crime Branch, and legal proceedings are expected to continue as authorities attempt to verify the full extent of the fraudulent documentation and recover control of the trust's assets.