The Crime Branch-CID on Wednesday arrested a suspended government staff member and an advocate in connection with the alleged fraudulent registration of prime land belonging to the Palani Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Math in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district. The arrested persons have been identified as Sivakumar, an advocate, and Sivasankari, a suspended junior assistant attached to the Palani sub-registrar’s office. Investigators stated that Sivakumar allegedly colluded with the prime broker in the case, identified as Jayaprakash, who is accused of arranging forged records and facilitating the illicit registration of the math property.
High Court Intervention and Transfer of Probe
The matter pertains to roughly 1.40 acres of prime land owned by the Palani Math, an institution holding multiple high-value parcels across Palani town. According to investigators, a sale deed for the land was registered in July using forged paperwork, transferring the multi-crore property to two private individuals at a value substantially lower than its actual market worth. The fraudulent transaction was subsequently challenged before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which declared the land registration null and void. Following the judicial ruling, the state police leadership transferred the investigation to the specialized CB-CID unit.
Expanding Scrutiny Over Sub-Registrar Office Personnel
Prior to the latest arrests, the CB-CID had taken six people into custody, including sub-registrar Justin Manikandan. All suspects were remanded in judicial custody. Another advocate arrested earlier in the case, identified as S. Anwardeen, died in August while lodged at the Madurai Central Prison. With the arrest of Sivasankari, the investigative agency has widened its net around the administrative operations of the Palani sub-registrar’s office. Investigators are now scrutinizing the internal procedures that allowed the deed to pass through official channels, examining whether other employees aided in executing the paperwork.
Financial Trails and Document Verification Under Way
CB-CID officials are reviewing the forged documentation, the sequence of registration, and the financial trail tied to the transaction. Police maintain that Jayaprakash operated as the key coordinator who secured the forged papers to clear the transfer. The agency is also probing whether additional individuals outside the registration department took part in manufacturing the counterfeit records or financing the deal. Officers noted that while significant documentary material has been seized, the full extent of collusion remains under scrutiny, and all formal charges against the arrested accused will be presented before the competent court.
Follow for daily updates on cybercrime, corporate fraud, DFIR, hacking, investigations, and digital forensics
