HC directive on 150-acre temple properties in Chennai

Chennai: The Madras High Court has directed a number of officials, including at the Secretary-level, to coordinate on a plaint regarding alleged irregularities over a temple's property here.

Justice S M Subramaniam gave the order recently on a petition from A Radhakrishnan, who submitted that attempts were being made by miscreants to grab the properties of over 150 acres of Arulmigu Kothandaramar Thirukoil at Nandambakkam here by creating documents in a fraudulent manner. The respondents include the Secretaries of Tourism, Home and Revenue, Commissioner of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Chennai District Collector and City Police Commissioner among others. The judge said the effort requires verification of revenue records, documents and the claims of third parties.

Thus, enquiry is to be conducted in respect of those properties, revenue records in original must be verified with the assistance of the revenue authorities and the persons who all are claiming the ownership or title and the documents available with them are also to be looked into. Thereafter, all further actions are to be initiated for restoration of those properties, if it is identified that such properties stand in the name of the temple. Such efforts requires some more time for the authorities.

"In view of the facts and circumstances, this Court is inclined to direct the respondents 1 to 16 to extend co-ordination for the purpose of verification of the documents and revenue records, etc and ascertain the facts and circumstances by collecting the documents and thereafter, initiate all appropriate actions for recovery of the properties and for initiation of further actions against the offenders by following the procedures as contemplated under law," the judge said and disposed of the plea.