Kamatchiamman temple land grab | Suspended Puducherry revenue official arrested by CB-CID

CB-CID arrests suspended Puducherry official D. Balaji for involvement in Kamatchiamman Temple land grab case. Evidence shows connivance with accused persons in changing patta based on fraudulent will. 16 persons taken into custody, Balaji was Director of Fisheries when case registered, ED Chennai Office registered money laundering case in July.

A suspended senior official in the Puducherry administration, D. Balaji, has been arrested by the CB-CID for his involvement in the Kamatchiamman Temple land grab case.

Balaji was serving in the Revenue Department, when around 64,035 square feet of land belonging to the temple, located in a prime area in Rainbow Nagar, was grabbed by a group of persons.

The CB-CID had found evidence to show Balaji’s connivance with the accused persons in changing the patta based on a fraudulent will, without perusing the parent and link documents.

SIT Superintendent of Police R. Mohan Kumar, said in a press release on Wednesday that the officer was arrested on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 and remanded in judicial custody till September 13.

With the arrest of Balaji, the number persons taken into custody for their involvement in the land grab has gone up to 16.

Balaji was serving as the Director of Fisheries when the case was registered against him. He was subsequently suspended, along with another senior Revenue Department official, Ramesh, for his involvement in the case. Ramesh is yet to be arrested.

In July, the Directorate of Enforcement’s (ED) Chennai Office had registered a case of money laundering with regard to the temple land grab case.