The Idol Wing police on Sunday searched the office premises of businessman Ranvir Shah in Guindy and seized six wooden artefacts.
Armed with a search warrant from a court, the team, led by Inspector General of Police Ponn. Manickavel, entered Mr. Shah’s office on Sunday morning and stumbled upon wooden artefacts — five vahanas of presiding deities (vehicle mounts) from temples and one set of ‘palliyarai’ (an upholstered piece of furniture where deities are symbolically made to rest during nights).
According to sources, a lorry was parked near the office on Race Course Road, Guindy, four days ago and a few persons attempted to transport the artefacts to Gujarat late at night.
A police patrol intercepted it and apprehended two of them. Based on their confession, the Idol Wing police searched the office premises on Sunday.
900 years old
Mr. Manickavel told The Hindu , “The five vahanas are more than 900 years old. They are made of sandalwood and other wood and embellished with gold coating. Mr. Shah is absconding. We have formed a team to trace him.”
The list of seized items include a Rishabha vahana, Simha vahana and Garuda vahana. The palliyarai set has beautiful carvings, police said.
The Idol Wing recently seized 224 antique items, including stone and metal idols and pillars from Mr. Shah’s house in Saidapet and farmhouses in Kancheepuram district. The police also seized 23 idols and pillars from businesswoman Kiran Rao’s house in Poes Garden.
Chief Investigation Officer and Deputy Superintendent of Police P.A.Sundaram said, “In connection with the case, we issued summons to them for appearance. Till today, they have not appeared for interrogation and are evading the due process of law. Hence, treating them as absconding accused, we have formed a special team to trace them.”
