TIRUCHY: The Idol-Wing CID has recovered a 58-centimetre-tall metallic Balaji idol, believed to be about 600 years old, from an advocate’s house in Erode district. Police said sub-inspectors Pandiarajan and Rajesh, during a covert operation to recover stolen idols, were on November 4 approached by a broker at Avinashi Road who informed them of the idol being available for a price tag of Rs 33 crore.
The personnel, posing as prospective buyers, visited RS Palanisamy’s (56) house at Gobichettipalayam taluk in Erode, where they found the idol and ‘negotiated’ the final price to Rs 15 crore. They duo then left promising to return with the amount soon. On Monday, under the supervision of Central Zone Idol Wing ADSP G Balamurugan, a team led by Inspector Elango nabbed Palanisamy and seized the idol.
Inquiries revealed that the accused, Palanisamy, was a junior advocate to P Natarajan of Gobichettipalayam, who knew a priest at a temple in Mandya, Karnataka. The priest who suffered financially requested Natarajan for monetary assistance. In return the priest promised the antique idol at the temple, which he said was worth several crores of rupees in the international market. Neither the details of the temple nor the priest’s identity is known as Natarajan died in 2018.
Prior to his death, when he was bringing the idol to TN 2017, the Karnataka police intercepted him. As Natarajan was not in possession of papers nor offered a satisfactory explanation for possessing the idol, the Karnataka police confiscated it and registered a case of theft against him.
While the case was under way in court, Natarajan visited Kumbakonam and forged a fake bill for the Balaji idol. He later produced the bill in court and obtained an acquittal, as well as the idol. Bringing the idol to Gobichettipalayam, he decided to sell it for Rs 50 crore, and sought his junior Palanisamy’s assistance, the police added.