CHENNAI:The state government on Thursday passed an order to transfer investigation into all antique temple idol theft cases in the State to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The cases, which are at least six-year-old, are currently investigated by a special team headed by Inspector General of Police Pon Manickavel and monitored by the Madras High Court. The cases recently became a sore point between Manickavel and the officials of the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department and a couple of senior officials were recently arrested by the team headed by Manickavel. There were heated exchanges between Manickavel and the department officials in the court hall too.
The government argued in the court that the team headed by Manickavel had not submitted even one report. The order issued by Niranjan Mardi, Additional Chief Secretary, Home department, reasoned that the cases were “very important and significant that some of the idols are antique, dating back to thousands of years.”
The order also said that the cases have inter-state or international ramifications. The government order was passed based on the recommendations of the Additional Director General of Police, Economic Offences Wing, Chennai.