Kanchi priest returns from Canada, arrested

Priest Rajappa, one of accused in a case of alleged misappropriation of gold while making new panchaloha idols to replace antique idols in Ekambaranathar temple in Kancheepuram, was detained by immigration authorities in Mumbai on Friday and handed over to Idol Wing CID sleuths of Tamil Nadu police.

The accused was produced before a magistrate in Kumbakonam and remanded to judicial custody early on Sunday morning.

Rajappa was detained when he returned from Canada after a 20-day visit. As he was already booked in the case, he was supposed to have informed the investigators or the court when going out of the country. But he failed to do so.

“He had left the country without informing the Idol Wing as instructed by a very rich man,” said a release from the Idol Wing.

The case surrounding the alleged misappropriation of gold in the making of the two idols has already snagged two senior officials from the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. The Idol Wing sleuths had arrested the former Commissioner Veerashanmuga Mani on March 15. Last July, M Kavitha, the former Additional Commissioner in charge of the renovation was also arrested in the same case.

Police had booked case against nine persons, including the executive officer of the temple, Murugesan, Tamil Nadu chief temple sculptor M Muthaiah, sculptor Masilamani and Rajappa in connection with this case.

According to investigating officers, the misappropriation was done during the consecration of the idol. After reviewing the idols using positive metal identification (PMI) analysis, the sleuths said that there was not even an ounce of gold in it. The statues were supposed to contain at least 8.7 kg gold, worth Rs 2.82 crore, said Idol Wing police.

Recalling the sequence of events, a senior officer said the temple management has decided to redo the panchaloha idol of Somaskandar, comprising Lord Shiva, Paravathi and Murugan, weighing around 50 kg and an Amman idol weighing 65 kg. The executive officer of the temple asked the devotees to donate gold for the idols. However, they never kept any inventory of the gold collected.

Many devotees suspected of misappropriation, as temple officials have allegedly failed to keep account of the gold used for making the two panchaloha idols from the gold offered by the devotees. Finally, a devotee moved the court suspecting fraud, the officer added.