Puducherry: Top govt official arrested in 'temple land grabbing' case

Puducherry, Jul 12 (PTI) The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption unit of Puducherry has arrested the director of Information and Publicity of the union territory in connection with the alleged grabbing of land belonging to the Kamatchiamman temple, police sources said. The official, belonging to the Puducherry Civil Service cadre, was presented before the local court and was lodged in the Central prison here subsequently, they said. Sleuths of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption wing arrested A Suresh Raj at his residence on Saturday night after finding his involvement in the grabbing of the temple land. Raj was earlier sub-Registrar of Puducherry and was allegedly instrumental in the "fraudulent registration of the temple" situated in the neighbouring Rainbow Nagar some years ago. The police had already arrested 17 persons, including a few officials of the Revenue and Land Records department in connection with the scandal. PTI COR KH