SIVAGANGA
Officials from the HR&CE, revenue and police departments stopped construction activities on a land which reportedly belonged to Sri Gowri Vinayagar Temple and retrieved the property here on Saturday.
They examined a petition following a complaint to the Chief Minister’s Cell and the HR&CE Minister.
The Joint Commissioner (HR&CE) Dhanapal said that the land measured 9 acres and 58 cents on Sivaganga-Melur Road. However, the petition claimed the property was allegedly acquired by some people close to a former minister in the AIADMK government and that they had started constructing buildings in a big way with the connivance of some officials. When the officers at the Chief Minister sent the petition to the HR&CE department seeking details, the officials sealed the premises.
A notice stated that the land belonged to Sri Gowri Vinayagar Temple and trespassers would be taken to task as per the laws. Both civil and criminal offences would be initiated against the people cited as accused, it mentioned.
A senior official in the Revenue department said that the market value may be anywhere around ₹10 crore.