The Idol Wing-CID has seized two antique idols from the Dakshinachitra museum at Muttukadu due to lack of proper documents.
The Idol Wing received information on Thursday that some antique idols without proper documents were on display at Dakshinachitra, dedicated to south Indian heritage and culture.
A police team, led by Deputy Superintendents of Police U. Muthuraja and R. Mohan, launched a search. As several antique idols were on display, the team checked the records.
It emerged that G. Masilamani of Swamimalai in Thanjavur district, an accused in a case registered by the Sivakanchi police in 2017 for misappropriation at the Sivakanchi Temple, had gifted the idols of Veenadharar and Rishabh Dhar to the museum in 2012. A search of his premises at Swamimalai on August 9 this year yielded eight antique idols.
The idols of Veenadharar and Rishabh Dhar did not have any documents. An expert was called in and he opined that the idols belonged to the Chola period.
Mr. Muthuraja said, “We are getting the opinion confirmed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). As the museum did not have documents, Masilamani was asked to produce papers for the two idols. As he said he did not have any documents, museum manager Ashok Kumar decided to return the idols, admitting that the museum was in illegal possession of the idols.
He also lodged a complaint against Masilamani for donating illegal idols, which he believed would have been stolen from temples. The museum requested the Idol Wing to seize the idols, Mr. Muthuraja said.
On the basis of the complaint, a case has been registered. The idols have been sent to the court concerned and the Idol Wing had submitted the images of the idols to the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments to find out the temples whence they would have been stolen and to the ASI for determination of their antiquity, the police said.
Reaction from Dakshinachitra
In a response, Sharath Nambiar, Director, Dakshinachitra Museum said, “We told the police that we had proper records for all our museum objects. They were satisfied with our objects and records. They saw two bronze objects which were kept on display at the museum entrance.
We informed them that they were kept here for consignment sale in our craft shop in 2018 by bronze sculptor Stapathy Masilamani from Swamimalai who had come in 2018 to the museum to participate in a craft seminar. Thereafter we had told Masillamani to take back the sculptures as we were not interested and were unable to sell them. He promised to come and take them back but did not do so in spite of repeated phone calls and messages.”
Mr. Nambiar added, “When the Idol Wing CID team informed us that they doubted the origin of these two idols, We called Masilamani to come to hand over the sculptures to the Idol Wing, but he did not turn up. As per the Idol Wing’s advice we handed over the two sculptures to the Idol Wing CID at their office at Ashok Nagar. We produced the consignment bill that was made in 2018 when he kept the idols here and, handed over the same to the Idol Wing.”
