DINDIGUL/ TIRUPPUR/ TIRUNELVELI: The CB-CID on Saturday intensified its investigation into the alleged Rs 100-crore Palani temple land scam by carrying out search operations at the houses of the suspended sub-registrar, two land purchasers, a witness, and a trust member in Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Tiruppur districts.
According to sources in Dindigul, the police team conducted a search at the residence of suspended sub-registrar Justin Manikandan, who has been booked in the alleged illegal registration of 1.4-acre land belonging to Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Mutt in Dindigul in the name of two private individuals.
Following this, the search operation was expanded to four more locations, including three additional sites in Palani and its surrounding areas.
In Tiruppur district, a team from Coimbatore conducted a search at the residence of K Velladurai (52), a native of Pappankulam near Madathukulam, and one of the purchasers of the land, in connection with the scam. It conducted an inquiry for about eight hours and allegedly seized an old laptop, a copy of a bank passbook, and a few copies of documents relating to properties from his house. The team also conducted a search at the farmhouse of Sethupathi, another purchaser of the land in Palani.
The police conducted searches at the residence of Lakshmanan, the DMK ward secretary for Palani municipality, who signed as a witness during the registration of the land transaction.
In Tirunelveli, they conducted a surprise raid on the house of one Shanmugasundaram, a private trust’s member from Tirunelveli Town area, and reportedly seized several documents.
“After questioning him at his residence for nearly four hours, the sleuths took him to the CB-CID office for detailed interrogation. Two other members of the trust are also said to be under the CB-CID radar,” sources said.