CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has refused to reverse an order of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department sacking a hereditary trustee of a Chennai temple for corruption and failure to safeguard temple properties.
The appeal was filed by G Prem Anand, who was expelled from the trust board of Sri Vengeeswarar, Azhagar Perumal and Nagathamman Koil Devasthanam in Vadapalani.
Dismissing the appeal, Justice N Anand Venkatesh said the order does not suffer from illegality.
In 2015, secretary of the Tamil Nadu Tourism, Culture and Endowment Department issued a GO to remove the appellant from the hereditary trustee post after a 2011 inspection that unearthed irregularities, including omission of details of certain properties in the new register, leasing out and selling properties without permission and collecting donation for kumbhabishekam.
He filed a petition in the High Court which set aside the order and remanded the matter back to the secretary for fresh consideration. However, after perusal of his explanation, he was removed again through another GO.
