Controversy: What is the fraudulent Palani land deal?

A fraudulent sale registration of a parcel of land associated with the Palani temple is the latest controversy making news in Tamil Nadu. On July 6, a 1.4 acre plot that is used as a parking lot for devotees of the Arulmigu Dhandayudapani Swamy Temple in Palani town was registered in the name of two private individuals. The land is estimated to be worth Rs 100 crore. After temple authorities filed a complaint on July 13, the Palani Adivaram police registered a first information report (FIR) under Sections 336(3) (forgery), 340(2) (using forged document as genuine), 318(4) (cheating), 49 (punishment for abetment), and 61(2) (punishment for criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The temple administration falls under the state’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.On Wednesday, July 15, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar transferred the case to the CB-CID. The complaint filed by S Muruganandam, the superintendent of the Lands Division of the Palani temple, says that the revenue records relating to the property, including the patta, are in the name of Arulmigu Dhandapani Swami Mutt. However, the complaint accused Palani sub registrar Justin Manikandan of fraudulently registering a sale deed through Murugadas, in favour of Vellathurai and Sethupathi.The said Murugadas “claims to be the administrator of Thiruppugazh Swamigal, Murugadas Swamigal and Dhandapani Swamigal Trust, Adivaram, Palani,” which has “no manner of right or entitlement over the said Mutt lands,” the complaint alleged.The complaint identified the two persons in whose name the land was fraudulently registered as Vellathurai from Pappankulam in Udumalai and Sethupathi from DKN Pudur in Palani. Times of India reported that the land was dedicated to the mutt through a charitable settlement deed executed in 1888. The deed prohibited sale or transfer of the land as private property. In his complaint to the police, Muruganandam alleged that Vellathurai and Sethupathi had filed a writ petition in the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court with regard to the land, without the Mutt’s knowledge. An appeal filed against this remains pending. It was while the matter was under the consideration of the court that the fraudulent sale registration was allegedly carried out.Minister’s clarificationOn July 15, HR&CE Minister Ramesh said that sub registrar Justin Manikandan had acted “without knowing the full background of the case”. The Minister reportedly said that a fraudulent attempt at registering the land in March this year. Following this, a refusal slip was issued by the Registration Department on April 1. The slip stated that the land could not be registered. The Hindu quoted the Minister as saying that the individuals used the slip to obtain a court order directing the verification of the documents submitted for registration. If they were found to be valid, registration was to be considered within a week. When the individuals reportedly approached the Sub-Registrar’s Office on July 3, the registration was kept pending. This was based on the Palani HRCE Joint Commissioner July 2 written directions to the District Registrar asking that the land not be registered.However, on July 6, the sub registrar was on leave, the Minister reportedly said, adding that Manikandan, who was left in charge, registered the land without knowing the details of the legal fight. A departmental inquiry has been initiated against Manikandan.