Madikeri: The Kodagu District Police have arrested a person who had locked the Madikeri Palace – DC office building, in the fort premises, claiming that the palace belongs to him.

The arrested has been identified as HCN Wadiyar, a businessman from Mysore city.

Recently, Wadiyar had written a letter to the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner requesting to shift the office to some other place and handover the building to him.

Asserting the same, he locked the main entrance of the office and the entrance gate near the Food and Civil Supplies Department. Moreover he put a name board which read — “H.C.N. Wadiyar, Maharaja of Coorg, and owner of Markara Palace.”

However, Wadiyar failed to produce any document to prove that the building belongs to him and locking the office is against the law.

Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari clarified that the walls of the fort and two artworks – elephants sculptures which are at the premises belonged to Archaeological Department. Apart from this, the RTC states that the land is a government land.

Moreover as per the previous records, the British had bought the palace from its actual owners. After independence, various offices were established in the building. Since then, the building is under the control of the government, the DC added.

If Wadiyar is true owner of the building, then he can submit true documents or can apply in the court, he concluded.