Idol theft cases: Provide proper infra or will order CBI probe, says Madras HC

CHENNAI: The Madras high court has warned the state government that it would order a CBI probe into the pending idol theft cases, if authorities failed to co-operate and provide proper infrastructure to the court-appointed idol wing headed by the inspector general of police A.G. Pon Manickavel, IPS.

Justice R. Mahadevan made the above observations orally while pulling up the officials of the Hindu religious and charitable endowment department for not complying with the directions of the court to provide the necessary infrastructure to the idol wing.

The judge said he would issue the summons for the appearance of the chief secretary and the commissioner of HR & CE if the directions of the court are not complied within 2 weeks.

The judge was hearing two petitions from R. Venkataraman and advocate Elephant G. Rajendran, which sought to transfer the investigation into all the pending idol theft cases to the CBCID. The judge posted to January 24, further hearing of the case.

The judge had on July 21, 2017, directed Pon Manickavel, and his team to continue the probe, despite his transfer.

The judge had also ordered that all pending cases in various courts in the state be transferred to the additional chief judicial magistrate, Kumbakonam, for speedy disposal on a day-to-day basis.

The judge also directed the HR & CE to submit a report on the number of temples under its control and the list of archakars employed under them and assigned to each temple to Pon Manickavel, with a specific direction to the officer to prosecute the delinquent officials, if prima facie was made out.