Madurai Court Voids Controversial Land Sale

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court annulled a disputed land sale, favoring the Arulmigu Dhandapani Swamigal Mutt. The decision followed a critical review of procedural oversights, triggering disciplinary actions and investigations into possible fraud by state officials involved in the registration process.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has nullified a contentious land sale deed, siding with the Arulmigu Dhandapani Swamigal Madam (Mutt) in Palani. The judgment declared the sale deed for 1.35 acres in Dindigul district void, overturning an earlier Single Bench order.

The Division Bench, comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel, identified substantial procedural errors in the initial proceedings. Notably, the appellant Mutt was not included as a party in the original case, and the Sub-Registrar overlooked key objections. The Mutt argued that the Single Bench's decision ran contrary to both legal norms and factual circumstances.

This decision has set off immediate disciplinary outcomes. Sub-Registrar Justin Manikandan Subramanian, who registered the contentious document, was suspended, as was District Registrar Sasikala. The High Court has tasked the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) with probing the possibility of fraud, with a response due next month.