A Sub-Registrar has been placed under suspension after allegedly facilitating the fraudulent registration of a 1.40-acre parcel of land worth around ₹100 crore belonging to the historic Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple in Palani, Dindigul district, as reported in Vikatan.
According to officials, the land, located at the foothills of the Palani temple, originally belonged to the Dhandayuthapani Swamigal Mutt and was allotted in 1888 for the maintenance of the mutt and for meeting the temple’s religious and worship-related expenses. The original grant reportedly stipulated that the property could neither be sold nor transferred, while the revenue generated from the land was to be utilized exclusively for the temple’s endowment.
Over the years, the property was allegedly encroached upon by private individuals, prompting the Palani Devasthanam to initiate legal proceedings before the Madras High Court and subsequently the Supreme Court.
Following the litigation, the courts appointed the Joint Commissioner of the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple as the Thakkar (administrator) of the Dhandayuthapani Swamigal Mutt and directed that the disputed land be brought under the administration of the temple.
Acting on the court’s directions, the 1.40-acre property was recovered on 12 September 2025, after nearly 60 years, under the supervision of Joint Commissioner and Thakkar Marimuthu. Since its recovery, the land has been used as a free parking facility for devotees visiting the Palani Murugan Temple.
However, officials recently discovered that the same property had allegedly been fraudulently registered through forged documents by the Palani Sub-Registrar’s Office.
According to the complaint, the land, valued at approximately ₹100 crore, was allegedly registered on 6 July 2026 in the names of Vellaidurai and Sethupathi for a reported consideration of just ₹2 crore, despite the property belonging to the temple.
Following the discovery of the alleged fraudulent registration, Palani Temple Joint Commissioner Marimuthu submitted a formal representation to the Inspector General of Registration, seeking the cancellation of the sale deed.
Subsequently, Sub-Registrar Justin Manikandan has been placed under suspension for his alleged role in the registration of the disputed property.
The incident has attracted particular attention as officials revealed that Justin Manikandan, who is otherwise posted as the Sub-Registrar of Kodaikanal, had served as the Palani Sub-Registrar for only a single day, during which the disputed registration was allegedly carried out.
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