Chennai: International idol smuggler Subash Kapoor, lodged in Chennai Puzhal jail, was arrested by idol wing sleuths on Monday in connection with a third case, which deals with a theft of 13 metal idols including one Nataraja idol valued around Rs 15 crore reported in the year 2005 in Palavoor in Tirunelveli.
Kapoor, who was running a art gallery in Manhattan, New York, has been already arrested in connection with two other cases of idol smuggling. Kapoor had visited the temple, took picture of Nataraja idol, after offering Rs 1,000 to the priest there and ordered the loot. He had compared the new picture taken with a picture he was carrying with him when he arrived from New York via Mumbai and had asked Dheenadayalan to execute the theft.
Dheenadayalan, a Chennai based art dealer was already arrested by the idol wing for his alleged involvement in smuggling ancient idols. The gang, which was given Rs 5 lakh to execute the theft, is believed to have stolen the idols on the night of June 18, 2005, after entering the 6th century Narambunathaswamy temple after entering the temple as devotees. They hid themselves inside the temple till midnight and later escaped with 13 idols. A year later the idol wing cops, who were investigating the case, arrested Arunachalam and Shajahan and recovered five idols from them in Madurai.
Months later in May 2007, the police arrested two more suspects named Saudi Murugan and Balaji. The arrested men told the police that they committed the theft believing that all the idols were made of gold and they could not find any gold inside the idols after some were cut into pieces. By this time Dheenadayalan had purchased some idols and police recovered four idols from his shop in July 2007.
The case was reopened and investigated by inspector general police A G Pon Manickavel, who found Subash Kapoor was one of the main suspects in the case.
