Financial irregularities in Vadapalani Murugan temple improbable, says former High Court judge January 17, 2023 09:12 pm | Updated 09:12 pm IST – Chennai He had inquired into the matter independently at the request of the temple’s Thakkar THE HINDU BUREAU Justice S.M. Subramanian, a sitting judge of the Madras High Court, who had visited the temple with his wife and daughter, found that the staff had issued one ₹5 token and two ₹50 tokens for darshan, after collecting ₹150.

[1/18, 11:24] sekarreporter1: [1/18, 10:18] sekarreporter1: [1/18, 08:01] Judge Suthantheram: I am very sorry about the report given by Mr. Justice Sathyanarayanan and it is painful. Disbelieving the words of a sitting Judge that someone misbehaved with him giving report saying it was improbable based on CCTV footage which may not be covering full incident is wrong. It is not known whether before giving such report the complainant was enquired. Please don’t bring disreputation to a sitting judge by saying his statement may not be true. Highly condemnable
[1/18, 09:57] sekarreporter1: .
[1/18, 10:18] sekarreporter1: [1/18, 10:09] . M. Ravindran Senior Advt: I am in full agreement with the views expressed by Justice Suthanthiram. It is not proper for a retired judge to question the version of a sitting judge. Further I do not understand why should Audimoolam approach Justice Sathyanarayana . What is their connection ?
[1/18, 10:16] sekarreporter1: .
[1/18, 11:06] sekarreporter1: [1/18, 11:01] Chanduru Adv: The sitting Judge went as an ordinary devotee and he experienced the worst.. He has exposed it. Nothing to doubt him or his allegations..
It should be taken as a cue by HRCE to improve the temple administration and not doubt the Judge..
Temples must be accessible to common man and special treatment must be curtailed.
Donors alone can be exempted as they contribute for the welfare of the temple, but not those who use their position for favours. It will bring down such incidents to a great extent. 🙏
[1/18, 11:06] sekarreporter1: .
[1/18, 11:24] sekarreporter1: Financial irregularities in Vadapalani Murugan temple improbable, says former High Court judge
January 17, 2023 09:12 pm | Updated 09:12 pm IST – Chennai

He had inquired into the matter independently at the request of the temple’s Thakkar
THE HINDU BUREAU

• Justice S.M. Subramanian, a sitting judge of the Madras High Court, who had visited the temple with his wife and daughter, found that the staff had issued one ₹5 token and two ₹50 tokens for darshan, after collecting ₹150. Photo: File

A former judge of the Madras High Court, Justice M. Sathyanarayanan, has opined that the allegations of financial irregularities and disrespectful and rude behaviour by staff of the Arulmigu Vadapalani Andavar Thirukoil (Vadapalani Murugan temple), Chennai, are “improbable”.

Last month, Justice S.M. Subramanian, a sitting judge of the Madras High Court, had lodged a complaint with the Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department alleging that financial irregularities and misbehaviour by certain staff of the temple.

The judge, who had visited the temple with his wife and daughter, found that the staff had issued one ₹5 token and two ₹50 tokens for darshan, after collecting ₹150. He said when he took up the issue with the staff, they had behaved rudely and also refused to share the phone number of the temple’s Executive Officer.

While the HR&CE Department began an inquiry into the issue and submitted its report, Mr. Sathyanarayanan examined the issue independently at the request of L. Adimoolam, the temple’s Thakkar. According to Mr. Adimoolam, the former judge’s report on the issue had been submitted to Justice Subramanian.

In the report, prepared after examining the footage recorded in the CCTV cameras installed on the temple premises and questioning the staff concerned, Mr. Sathyanarayanan held that a single instance (of issuing a token of wrong denomination) ‘may not lead to the presumption of grave financial irregularities.’ In the instant case too, he said there appeared to have been an “inadvertent mistake” in issuing a ₹5 token instead of a ₹50 one.

Besides, the temple’s audit has been completed till 2020-21 and no financial irregularities were found by the Audit Department, he added. Citing CCTV camera footage, he said one of the staff, Ravichandran, could be seen standing with his hands “politely folded behind.” Going by the body language, the ex-judge felt it was improbable that he would have behaved rudely.
[1/18, 11:27] sekarreporter1: [1/18, 11:23] Prasana Advt Sir Sutganthiram Judge: I have heard that authority forgets a dying king widowed of his power but here I thought the sitting judge was ruling king but our politicians have proved that they are the king and ruling and that Judges don’t wield that power. But stooping to the level of discrediting the EVIDENCE of a sitting High court Judge is a new high. Sad days.
[1/18, 11:27] sekarreporter1: .
[1/18, 11:28] sekarreporter1: [1/18, 11:26] Chellapandian Mhc Advt: Good Judge’s are termed as orphans, Always irrespective of Era, Nothing New to raise the EyeBrows🙏
[1/18, 11:28] sekarreporter1: .