PIL exposes sale of temple property by private persons in Salem

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy before whom the PIL came directed HR-CE Department to file a status report indicating the particulars of the Fit Person and the measures taken to safeguard the temple property.

Further, the bench while directing the revenue officials to obtain the revenue records relating to the property and file a status report, also directed the Registration Department to ensure that no further conveyance is registered in respect of the temple property without the prior permission of this Court.

Also, directing the registration department to file an appropriate status report as regards prior transactions, the bench sought the State to produce the relevant file pertaining to the temple land when the matter is taken up for hearing on April 29.

The petitioner A Radhakrishnan had submitted that owing to the failure of HR-CE officials in preserving and protecting the valuable property of Arulmigu Perumal Temple in Pallapatty Main Road, Salem West Taluk, that private persons have even resorted to the sale of the temple property in collusion with revenue officials. He further stated that if immediate action is not taken, it will not be possible to salvage this valuable asset.