Over 26 Arrests Made in Madurai Property Tax Irregularities Investigation

A sweeping crackdown on property‑tax corruption in Madurai has resulted in more than two dozen arrests. The Central Crime Branch, acting on a complaint of password misuse, detained Sarvanan, the husband of former zone chairman Bhuvaneshwari, as part of a larger sweep.

The investigation traced illegal access to official portals from 2022 through July 2024, allowing perpetrators to alter tax assessments for a variety of commercial and residential assets. The breach undermined the corporation’s revenue and triggered a transfer of the case to the Crime Branch.

Following the scandal, seven local politicians, including the zone chairman and members of the town‑planning and taxation committees, stepped down, citing the need for accountability. Their resignations added a political dimension to the criminal probe.

Among those apprehended are the mayor’s spouse, the husband of the taxation committee chair, several contract workers, and an assistant commissioner. The police are still interrogating suspects and seeking to identify additional conspirators involved in the scheme.