CHENNAI: The Chennai Idol Wing CID has arrested two persons at a company in Nungambakkam on Tuesday for illegally selling antique idols worth around Rs 110 crore. Five antique metal idols and 15 sale receipts were recovered.
According to an Idol Wing statement, the arrested duo, S Anand and S Venkatesh, who worked at the company named Cottage Industries Exposition Pvt Ltd., had allegedly confessed about the illegal sale of these idols.
Stolen from temples
Idol Wing CID said that when they raided the company and interrogated the two persons, it was found that the company has a branch at Kumbakonam, where more antique idols were allegedly being sold illegally. Recovered idols from Kumbakonam have been sent to Chennai.
Further investigations revealed that these idols were stolen from temples in India and Cottage Industries had bought these idols and sold them to other South Asian countries. The two accused will be produced in court along with the recovered idols.