The Supreme Court has rejected the bail petition filed by suspended Assistant Registrar Justin Manikandan, who was arrested in connection with the alleged ₹100 Crore Palani temple land scam that has caused widespread concern in Tamil Nadu, as reported in Tamil Samayam.
The Bench has adjourned the next hearing in the case to the first week of November 2026.
Supreme Court Questions Purchase Price of Land
During the hearing, the Supreme Court heard detailed arguments on the background of the case and the alleged irregularities involved.
The judges questioned whether land with a market value running into several crores had been purchased for just ₹2 crore.
The Court observed that given the alleged magnitude of the irregularities, bail could not be granted to the accused while the investigation was still at an early stage. The judges indicated that the investigation should first be allowed to proceed comprehensively before the question of bail is reconsidered.
Tamil Nadu Government Assures Investigation Will Be Completed Within 90 Days
Appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, the prosecution argued that the alleged land scam was serious and involved a conspiracy among government officials.
The government also argued that granting bail to the Assistant Registrar at this stage could affect the investigation.
The prosecution assured the Supreme Court that the complete investigation would be concluded within 90 days.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, the Supreme Court declined to grant bail to Justin Manikandan and adjourned the matter to the first week of November.
Alleged ₹100 Crore Temple Mutt Land Irregularity
The case concerns approximately 1.4 acres of temple mutt land in the Palani foothills, which is valued at around ₹100 crore.
Justin Manikandan has been accused of facilitating the registration and sale of the land to private individuals through allegedly fraudulent documents and without proper verification of the relevant records.
Following the allegations, the Tamil Nadu Registration Department suspended him from service. The case was subsequently transferred to the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) for investigation.
Justin Manikandan, along with individuals accused of selling and purchasing the land, was subsequently arrested.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had earlier rejected his bail petitions, taking into consideration the seriousness of the allegations.
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