Madurai, Tamil Nadu – A case of encroachment of 1.79 acres of land belonging to a charitable trust linked to the famous Meenakshi Temple here has come to light. The value of this land is estimated at around ₹60 crore. The Central Crime Branch (CCB), Madurai, has registered a case against 19 persons in this matter.
The Central Crime Branch (CCB), Madurai, has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against 19 persons following a complaint lodged by the Joint Commissioner of the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple.
According to the complaint, the accused allegedly conspired to…
— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2026
The accused grabbed the land through forged transfers, registrations and mortgage transactions. This action was taken on the basis of a complaint by the temple’s Joint Commissioner and Executive Officer K. Chelladurai, and the anti-corruption organisation ‘Arappor Iyakkam’.
In this case, it is alleged that on 24 June 2016, the then Madurai North Tehsildar Anbalagan deleted the entry of the temple’s ownership from government records. He illegally transferred the land patta in the names of 9 persons. The Revenue Department officer cancelled the Tehsildar’s order. Stating that the land is the property of the temple trust, directions were given to re-enter the patta in the name of the temple. A case is also pending in this matter before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court. This Bench has granted an interim stay order.
Mortgage deed created in violation of court order
It is alleged that in violation of the court order, a ‘General Power of Attorney’ (a legal document empowering a person to perform various lawful, financial or administrative acts on one’s behalf) was registered on 16 April 2020 at the Murappanadu Sub-Registrar Office in Thoothukudi district with the help of the then Sub-Registrar Anantharaman. On this basis, a mortgage deed was also registered on 19 July 2021 at the Vadamadurai Sub-Registrar Office in Dindigul district through the then Sub-Registrar Prasanth Santhana Karuppan. The accused attempted to gain control over the temple land through forged patta transfer and mortgage transactions by violating lawful restrictions.
- Government control over temples is the primary cause of such large-scale encroachment of Hindu temple lands.
- Hindus must unite to liberate temples from government control and restore their management to devotees and traditional temple trusts.
