Had informed cops, HC about seized mounts weeks ago: Shah’s lawyer

“We had even told them that our client has those items with him and if needed we would deliver those items to the office of the Idol Wing,” Shah’s lawyer K Thangarasu told thisnewspaper on Monday.

On Sunday, the Idol Wing sleuths had seized six metal coated wooden vahanams (mounts), including Nandi and Garuda, from Shah’s office on Race Course Road in Guindy. The officers had claimed that these artefacts were 900 years old, alleging that the businessman was trying to secretly transport them to Gujarat.

In a statement issued on Monday, Thangarasu noted that after the police seized items from Shah’s house on September 27, they had informed the Idol Wing on September 30 that there were some wooden vahanams on display at Shah’s office. A copy of this was also submitted to the Madras High Court bench that is dealing with the case.

“It is wrong and malicious for the Idol Wing to claim that vahanams are a new discovery, when my client had in fact conveyed their existence in his possession five weeks ago,” the lawyer noted.

The cradle (palliarai) was a child’s cradle purchased from a family, and not from any temple. Traditionally, vahanams are replaced every 24 years and temples would sell off old vahanam. “But the vahanams my client possess are not more than 50 years old,” the lawyer said in the statement.

“The Idol Wing has said those vahanams are 900 years old. Such claims are false without any scientific and archaeological verification. In fact, till date Idol Wing had not sought verification from the Archaeological Survey of India on any of the allegation made,” Thangarasu said, adding that his client has submitted all the valid registered certificates that are statutorily required for the objects that were seized.

Shah has sought anticipatory bail and he is co-operating with all the authorities. “We have not exhausted our legal options and the Idol Wing should not be claiming that Ranvir Shah is absconding,” the lawyer added.