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Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy was hearing a batch of writ petitions and a contempt petition relating to the administration of Nacharammal Kattalai, a religious endowment associated with the Arulmigu Koodalazhagar Temple in Madurai.

by Sekar Reporter · June 8, 2026

[08/06, 13:52] sekarreporter1: https://indianexpress.com/article/legal-news/madras-high-court-movie-like-rs-800-crore-madurai-religious-land-10729282/
[08/06, 13:53] sekarreporter1: Skip To Content
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NewsLegalMadras High Court rejects trustee’s ‘movie-like’ abduction claim over Rs 800 crore Madurai religious land, orders scrutiny
Madras High Court rejects trustee’s ‘movie-like’ abduction claim over Rs 800 crore Madurai religious land, orders scrutiny
The Madras High Court was hearing a batch of writ petitions and a contempt petition relating to the administration of Nacharammal Kattalai, a religious endowment associated with the Arulmigu Koodalazhagar Temple in Madurai.
Written by: Vineet Upadhyay
7 min read
New Delhi
Jun 8, 2026 01:30 PM IST
Madras High Court Religious Endowment Trustee Kidnapped
The Madras High Court rejected “movie-like” abduction claim of a former trustee to execute a power of attorney to sell religious endowment properties. (Image generated using AI)
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Religious: Calling a trustee’s explanation a “movie-like defence” that he had been abducted by unidentified persons, taken to the sub-registrar’s office at knifepoint and forced to execute a power of attorney that was later used in transactions involving religious endowment properties, the Madras High Court has ordered scrutiny of rival claimants, recovery of valuable trust lands and protection of assets reportedly worth around Rs 800 crore.

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Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy was hearing a batch of writ petitions and a contempt petition relating to the administration of Nacharammal Kattalai, a religious endowment associated with the Arulmigu Koodalazhagar Temple in Madurai.

“The movie-like defence of the petitioner cannot even be convincingly spoken by him, let alone being believed by anybody else,” the court said on June 1, dismissing a challenge to the removal of a hereditary trustee accused of facilitating the sale of religious endowed properties.

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Justice D Bharatha Chakravarty Madras High Court Religious Endowment LandThe Madras High Court said that the records showed that a power of attorney had been executed, and the religious endowed properties were subsequently sold. (File Image, enhanced using AI)
Court criticises ‘movie-like’ defence
Cracking down on a succession battle over a Madurai religious endowment, the court said those involved in alienation or misappropriation of endowment properties cannot be allowed to hold positions of trust.

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The court was particularly critical of former hereditary trustee M Thiruppathi’s “movie-like” explanation that he had been abducted by unidentified persons, taken to the sub-registrar’s office at knifepoint, and forced to execute a power of attorney that was later used in transactions involving endowment properties.

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Rejecting the claim as wholly unbelievable, the court said the judge noted that, despite alleging abduction and coercion, the petitioner had not taken action against the alleged abductors.

However, records showed that a power of attorney had been executed, and the endowed properties were subsequently sold through a power agent.

The litigation involved competing claims to hereditary trusteeship, challenges to Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) proceedings, and disputes over the management of endowed properties.