Former HR&CE chief arrested in idol case
CHENNAI: The idol wing officials have arrested former commissioner of HR&CE department for not maintaining records of donors who offered gold to sculpt idols of Lord Somaskandar and goddess Elavarkuzhali at the Ekambareswarar temple in Kancheepuram.
The arrested man, M Veera Shanmuga Moni, was produced before the special court for idol theft cases in Kumbakonam and remanded in judicial custody on Friday.
Inquiries revealed that Moni ordered replacement of the old idol of goddess Elavarkuzhali idol with a new one. Kavitha, joint commissioner of HR&CE department, was arrested earlier in the case, had also signed in the order copy. The old idol weighed about 65kg, while the new one was 63kg.
Likewise, Kavitha ordered to replace Lord Somaskandar idol with a new one weighing 111kg. Altogether the idols weighed 174kg, of which 5% — 8.770kg gold — was to be mixed with the panchaloha. However, the IIT-M experts who inspected the idols found no trace of gold in them. Inquiry reveal that the arrested officials collected more than 100kg of gold pitched in by devotees for the idols. Police had earlier arrested chief sculptor Muthiah Sthapathi.
Likewise, Kavitha ordered to replace Lord Somaskandar idol with a new one weighing 111kg. Altogether the idols weighed 174kg, of which 5% — 8.770kg gold — was to be mixed with the panchaloha. However, the IIT-M experts who inspected the idols found no trace of gold in them. Inquiry reveal that the arrested officials collected more than 100kg of gold pitched in by devotees for the idols. Police had earlier arrested chief sculptor Muthiah Sthapathi.
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