An Idol Wing-CID team attached to the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) has cracked a 22-year-old ‘antique’ idols theft case with the arrest of three persons with links to the international idol smuggler Subash Kapoor.
The accused, R. Nachu alias Lakshmi Narashiman, 53, of Mahalingapuram in Kancheepuram district, and R. Omaidurai, 68, and his brother Annadurai, 59, of Mylapore, Chennai, who were arrested in Tiruchi on Sunday, had stolen two idols of Dwara Balagar from Munreswaramudaiyar temple, believed to be 1600 years old, at Athalanallur village near Veeravanallur in Tirunelveli district in 1994, and allegedly sold them to Kapoor, who, in turn, channelled the antique idols to the art gallery at Canberra in Australia for ₹4.98 crore.
The case was originally registered in 1995 at Veeravanallur police station. It was subsequently closed since the police could not get any clue. The Idol Wing CID, which reopened the case recently following the direction of the Madras High Court, cracked the case with the cooperation of officials of the National Gallery of Australia (NGA). The gallery officials had confirmed that the idols belonged to the Tamil Nadu temple, Idol Wing officials told mediapersons.
Idols still in Australia
A.G. Pon Manickavel, Inspector General of Police (IG), Idol Wing, told The Hindu that the idols were smuggled to Australia via New Delhi. The idols are still at the National Gallery of Australia. A formal communication had been sent to the officials concerned in Australia for repatriation, and they had also acceded to the request.
A. Ilango, Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police, Idol Wing, said that Subash Kapoor, who was lodged in Puzhal prison after being arrested in 2012 on his extradition from Germany, had illegally bought the idols from the accused and sold them to the art gallery in Australia.
R. Kanagaraj, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Idol Wing, said those arrested had confessed to the crime. A few cases were pending against them for smuggling and illegally selling antique idols.
Of the trio, Omaidurai and Annadurai were convicted recently for three years in an idol smuggling case in Ariyalur district, and were on bail. Lakshmi Narashiman owns a sculpting unit and an art gallery in Mamallapuram, police said.
