MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail and anticipatory bail petitions filed by 15 persons accused in the illegal registration of a 1.79 acre land endowed in favour of Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple in Madurai.
According to the prosecution, the land belonging to Pudukkottai Rajakumarar Dakshanamoorthy Durairaja Durairani Trust was endowed in favour of the temple in 1930 for performing religious and charitable works. However, it was illegally transferred in the name of nine people, including V Ramayee Ayyar of Pudukkottai, in 2016.
Though the same was subsequently cancelled in view of objections, the latter concealed the said fact and executed power of attorney in favour of one S Ilayaraja of New Vilangudi in Madurai and another person in 2021. The duo later registered a mortgage deed in the name of three persons, including Ilayaraja’s wife Kavitha.
Based on a complaint lodged by the executive officer of the temple, Madurai City Crime Branch-III police registered a case last month against 19 people and arrested six of them including K Anbalagan, the personal assistant (Land Acquisition) to the Ramanathapuram District Collector, and one V Rajkumar of Pudukkottai.
Anbalagan, who was the tahsildar of Madurai North in 2016, had allegedly transferred the property in favour of Ramayee and others. While Anbagalagan and Rajkumar filed bail petitions, 13 other accused, including Ramayee, filed anticipatory bail petitions. However, all the petitions were dismissed on Tuesday.