The Madras High Court has slammed the Hindu Religious Charitable Endowment (HR & CE) Department for allegedly assisting a temple official in escaping legal action by deliberately delaying a reply to his voluntary retirement after he reportedly swindled crores of temple funds.
Justice R Vaidyanathan of Madras High court, who was hearing a plea moved by the said Executive Officer R Muthuswamy challenging his suspension, said, “The petitioner, in this case, is said to have misappropriated several crores of temple properties. But it’s clear that such misappropriation is impossible in the absence of helping aid extended by his Superior Officers, who may be hand in glove with the petitioner for looting the temple properties.”
“From their attitude, it can easily be inferred that they want to make the petitioner escape from the clutches of law by throwing sand in everyone’s eye in the garb of passing some order, knowing full well that such an order will not stand in the eye of law and will easily be interfered with by this Court,” the court said, noting that the court is unable to digest the manner in which the authorities performed their official duties in this case and that it is unknown why they waited until the eleventh hour to pass an order.
“According to mythology, God has created this world and dictated a man’s destiny. Maybe, at the time of creation, God would have forgotten to remember that people will start looting His own temple properties in Kaliyuga, which, according to me, has become advantageous to the petitioner and his superior officers,” Justice Vaidyanathan observed.
The Judge added that the court, being the temple of justice, is not in a position to render justice to the Temple and is inclined to allow this Writ Petition filed by a miscreant due to the flaws committed by the HR & CE.
The petitioner attempted to get out of the suspension by claiming that the department had failed to make a decision on his VRS application within the three-month deadline, and thus he should be deemed to have retired voluntarily from service at the end of the notice period, according to the legal regulations, and his retirement benefits should be paid to him.
(with inputs from Thanthi)
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