Prima facie evidence found in Kanchi Somaskandar idol case: HC told

CHENNAI: The Idol Wing police had informed the Madras High Court that it found prima facie evidence in the case of illegitimate making of Somaskandar idol of Arulmigu Ekambaranathar temple in Kancheepuram.

State Additional Public Prosecutor S Muniyapparaj made this submission before Justice G Jayachandran. The judge was hearing the criminal original petitions filed by HR and CE’s former joint commissioner M Kavitha and temple sculptor M Muthaiah Sthapathi.

The petitioners sought a direction to quash the case registered against them on charges of manipulating a gold idol of Somaskandar in the temple.

When the matter was taken up, APP vehemently opposed the submissions of the petitioners and informed the court that prima facie is found in the offense. The idol wing also submitted that it has unearthed evidence against the accused who were involved in the illegal activity.

The idol wing police filed a case against former HR and CE Joint Commissioner Kavitha, Sculptor Muthiah Sthapathi and other people on a complaint of one Annamalai.

According to the complainant, the HR and CE had collected gold from the devotees of Kancheepuram Ekambaranathar temple under the guise of replacing the damaged gold Somaskandar idol. “While 100 kgs of gold were pitched in for making Somaskandar idol, not a single gram of gold was found in the new idol which was kept as a replacement for the existing one, ” the complainant noted.

A team of experts from the IIT Madras examined the new idol and confirmed that it does not have any gold materials. Therefore, cases were filed and officers of HR and CE were arrested in the case. After hearing the submissions of APP, the judge adjourned the matter to July 12.