CHENNAI: The Idol Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police arrested Javed Shah on Tuesday for illegally possessing antique metal idols worth Rs 40 crore at ‘Indian Cottage Industries,’ a shop situated inside a private resort in Mahabalipuram. The police recovered 12 antique idols from the accused.
On December 24, the Idol Wing police raided the shop based on a tip-off that idols were illegally stored at the shop and was sold abroad. During the inquiry, the police found Javed Shah had 12 antique idols belonging to Hindu temples.
Shah had illegally sold four idols that were certified by the Archaeological Survey of India as ‘Suspected to be antiquity.’ He had receipts of illegally sold idols. The police recovered the receipts along with the idols. On Monday, Javed Shah surrendered one of the heaviest idols in his collection, the Parvathi statue in standing position. The statue weighs around 22 kg.
The Idol Wing police have registered a case and are conducting investigations. The police are trying to pinpoint the exact origins of the stolen idols. The raid was launched based on the order of Tamil Nadu Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu.