CHENNAI: A woman journalist, running a little-known magazine, was arrested on Tuesday for being a part of the idol-smuggling gang led by veteran film director V Sekar.
Police said the accused Malathi was helping the gang tranport the idols stolen from a temple by flashing her journalist identity card. Her brother Karunakaran was earlier arrested in the case.
“She runs a magazine called ‘Ullatchi Murasu.’ She confessed to have accompanied the gang to smuggle idols from Vandavasi in Tiruvannamalai district in January this year. She had showed her press identity card to escape a police check near Vandavasi,” said a senior police officer.
Police sources said it was Malathi’s statements that led them to the veteran director V Sekar. He was arrested on August 13.
Malathi was produced before a Magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. Police are looking out for 11 more people in connection with the idol- smuggling.