Tamil Nadu order transferring idol theft cases to CBI stayed

Chennai: Pulling up the state government for showing urgency in transferring investigation relating to the idol theft cases to CBI, Madras high court has stayed the GO transferring the investigation to the CBI.

The division bench comprising Justices R. Mahadevan and P.D. Audikesavalu, before which a petition filed by an advocate 'Elephant' Rajendran seeking to quash the GO came up for hearing on Tuesday, has asked the Additional Advocate General P.H. Pandian , who appeared on behalf of the government, asked what is the urgency in passing the government order within a day when the court is seized of the matter.

The bench has observed that the government, which had not even shown an inch of interest in implementing the directions given by this court in the idol theft cases, has shown that much interest in passing a government order transferring the investigation to CBI.

Justice R. Mahadevan has wondered how the GO was passed a day after the bench asked for the documents pertaining to the policy decision taken by Government to transfer the investigation to CBI.

Making it clear that the GO cannot be continued for even a minute the judges posed several questions to AAG on the GO.  The action of the officials was not proper and illegal. "Though the Court has passed several orders with regard to the steps taken by Government in safeguarding the idols nothing was implemented. We will call the home secretary and DGP," it said.

The bench stayed the government order transferring the idol theft case to CBI and ordered notice to government.

Meanwhile, the Bench granted condition bail to Kavitha, Additional Commissioner of HR&CE, who was arrested by the Sivakanchi police in connection to making of two new Panchaloha idols for Sti Ekambaranathat temple in Kancheepuram.  

She was directed to stay at Tiruchy for a month and directed her to appear before the Idol Wing, which was specially constituted as per the HC orders in Kumbakonam as and when required.