A high-profile land-grabbing controversy has surfaced in the Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu, leading to criminal charges against a sitting ruling-party legislator and several local administration personnel. Murugaiah, a differently-abled man residing in the Akkamalai area of Coimbatore district, has lodged an official complaint accusing DMK MLA TM Rajendran of fraudulently transferring nearly 9 acres of ancestral property into the legislator's own name. Following an official review of the complaint submitted by the victim, local police initiated a case against six individuals, including the lawmaker, prompting calls for swift accountability and restoration of the contested land.
Six Named in First Information Report Over Fraudulent Land Transfer
The parcel of land under dispute spans approximately 9 acres and is situated at Thirumulapuram near Sankarankovil within Tenkasi district. Murugaiah approached the office of the Tenkasi District Superintendent of Police, detailing how TM Rajendran, who represents the Kadayanallur assembly constituency, allegedly carried out the registration of the land in his personal name without possessing any valid legal heir certificate. Acting on the formal grievance, the Tenkasi District Crime Branch registered a criminal case implicating six individuals. The accused include the Kadayanallur MLA, his brother, a deputy tehsildar, a village administrative officer, and an official attached to the land survey department. Investigating officers from the Crime Branch are currently examining the revenue entries, survey logs, and registry documentation to trace how the transfer occurred.
Victim and Family Block Minister’s Vehicle Outside District Collectorate
Prior to the criminal registration, Murugaiah had also submitted an administrative petition before the district collectorate seeking intervention in the matter. On Wednesday, he arrived at the collectorate premises alongside his family members to follow up on the status of that petition. Coincidentally, Tenkasi district in-charge minister Rajeev, who also holds the portfolio for environment and climate change in the state government, was visiting the administrative complex for official business. As the minister's vehicle approached the entrance gate, Murugaiah and his relatives stepped forward to halt the car. Confronting the minister directly, the family raised their grievance, stating that the DMK legislator had wrongfully occupied the 9-acre parcel and expressing deep frustration that no concrete administrative relief had been delivered despite prior representations.
Minister Directs Administrative Officials to Complete In-Depth Inquiry
Upon hearing the grievances presented by the family at the gate, Minister Rajeev immediately summoned an assistant to the district collector to the scene. The minister instructed the official to conduct a thorough and transparent probe into the allegations raised by Murugaiah and mandated that the exact outcome of the investigation be communicated directly to the aggrieved complainant. While the inquiry into the disputed acquisition and documentation procedures remains underway, the legal veracity of the allegations is yet to be established through formal judicial findings.
State Policy on Land Encroachment and Administrative Scrutiny
Land ownership disputes and unauthorized transfers have drawn heightened attention across Tamil Nadu in recent months. Earlier in September, Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments S. Ramesh issued an unequivocal warning that anyone found encroaching upon or unlawfully transferring temple and trust holdings would face stringent legal repercussions. Ramesh had emphasized that the administration would execute accountability regardless of political affiliations or personal stature. He also urged devotees and spiritual community members to submit relevant documentary evidence directly to the HR&CE department if they uncover unauthorized occupancy, noting that several such disputes had dated back to grievances raised during previous DMK administrative terms.
