SC refuses to stay HC order on idol cases

HC quashed transfer of cases to CBI

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay a Madras High Court decision to quash a Tamil Nadu government notification of August 1 transferring idol theft cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from the idol wing CID.

A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushn and L. Nageswara Rao did not intervene with the High Court’s appointment of Ponn Manickavel, an Inspector-General of Police, probing idol theft cases in Tamil Nadu, as a special officer for one year to conduct the probe. This order was given on the day of his retirement. The Supreme Court issued notice on the appeal filed by the Tamil Nadu government.

Caveat filed

The High Court order was based on a public interest litigation filed by advocate “Elephant” G. Rajendran challenging the transfer. Mr. Rajendran has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court.

The High Court had passed the order a day after the State upgraded the post of chief of Idol Wing to the rank of Additional Director-General of Police and Abhay Kumar Singh as Mr. Manickavel’s successor.

Move redundant

It had held that the appointment of another officer by the State would become redundant in view of their order.

They made it clear that the officer appointed by the court would be the head of the Idol Wing for the next year.

The CBI and other Central agencies were ordered to help Idol Wing-CID in recovering ancient idols from other States and abroad.