Tiruchirappalli, Sep 19: Tiruchirappalli city police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against a Srirangam-based DMK local functionary, M. Ramkumar, and five others over the alleged fraudulent transfer and registration of 7,515 square feet of land belonging to the Arulmigu Aranganatha Swamy Temple, officials said on Saturday.
Complaint by temple administration
The complaint was lodged by Sivaramakumar, Joint Commissioner of the Arulmigu Aranganatha Swamy Temple management. According to the FIR cited by police, the complainant alleged that Ramkumar misused his influence during the party's tenure to effect the registration of the temple land using forged or improper documents.
The FIR names, in addition to M. Ramkumar, the following individuals: Padma Rengarajan, Vijaya Krishnasamy, R. Sowntharrajan, Vengatavaradhan and the then Srirangam sub-registrar. The case pertains to a portion of land measured under Survey Number 762.
How the FIR describes the transactions
Police said the FIR states 7,515 square feet were transferred to Ramkumar in 2022. The complaint alleges multiple consecutive registrations and sale deeds involving the same plot, with declared values that, when combined, amount to ₹2.9 crore.
- The FIR alleges Padma Rengarajan and Vijaya Krishnasamy "sold" 7,515 sq ft to Ramkumar for ₹1.45 crore, with registration dated December 5, 2022.
- Two days later, the FIR says, Sowntharrajan and Vijaya Krishnasamy claimed a share and registered a sale deed for ₹72.5 lakh.
- On January 19, 2023, Vengatavaradhan purportedly claimed a share and registered another sale deed for ₹72.5 lakh. A correction deed was later registered, the FIR adds.
"The DMK local functionary cheated everyone," said S. Ramesh, the state's Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister, alleging that the DMK poll camp office is functioning on illegally registered land and hinting at broader involvement by former officials.
Minister S. Ramesh, who represents the ruling party TVK in the state cabinet, said the title deed in question – number 1027 – had repeatedly been declared as temple land and that earlier court claims over the property had not been recognised as legitimate, the complaint noted.
Local impact and existing use of the land
The FIR states the total temple holdings include 5 acres and 87 cents, and that a portion of this land has been leased to a government hospital, which pays rent to the temple administration. The disputed 7,515 sq ft falls within these holdings and its alleged transfer has prompted the present complaint.
M. Ramkumar has denied the allegations. He told officials that a case relating to the dispute is already pending before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, the FIR mentions.
| Event | Date | Declared Value |
|---|---|---|
| Registration to M. Ramkumar | 5 Dec 2022 | ₹1.45 crore |
| Sale deed by Sowntharrajan & Vijaya Krishnasamy | 7 Dec 2022 | ₹72.5 lakh |
| Sale deed by Vengatavaradhan | 19 Jan 2023 | ₹72.5 lakh |
Combined, the three deeds are listed in the FIR as valuing the same parcel at ₹2.9 crore, a discrepancy that the temple administration highlighted in its complaint to police.
Police said the investigation will probe the role of the named individuals and the then Srirangam sub-registrar. The FIR also references earlier official and court records indicating the land's status as temple property.
City residents and stakeholders in Srirangam, where the Arulmigu Aranganatha Swamy Temple is a major religious and cultural institution, are likely to watch the probe closely. The matter raises questions about registration procedures for temple lands, the security of religious endowments and administrative oversight of sub-registrar offices.
Police did not immediately provide details on whether arrests had been made; investigators said further action would follow as the probe progresses and as per directives arising from related court proceedings.
