Madras HC directs TN government to submit documents supporting arrest of HR and CE official in idol theft case

The Madras High Court on Friday gave time till August six for the Tamil Nadu government to submit the documents supporting the arrest of  Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR and CE) Additional Commissioner Ms M Kavitha.

Ms Kavitha was arrested on charges of swindling money and gold collected as donations for making idols for the famous Sri Ekambareswarar Temple in Kancheepuram in 2015.

Moving the bail for Kavitha, her counsel Ramesh said no summons was issued to his client before arresting her.

He submitted that Ms Kavitha was an Officer of IAS Rank and her name was also not mentioned in the First Information Report (FIR).

Contending that she was arrested based on a statement given by an accused, he said the arrest looked more like an act of personal vendetta.

Responding to this, a Division Bench comprising Mr Justices R Mahadevan and P D Audikesavalu asked the government advocate Emiliyaas as to why the arrest was made without issuing summons.

Emiliyaas sought time to file a reply and requested that the hearing be postponed to Monday.

Idol wing Inspector General of Police Pon Manickavel, who was present in the court, said there was proper evidence to prove Ms Kavitha's involvement in the case and that he was ready to submit them in the court.

The judges said, Kavitha, who was hospitalised, could continue her treatment and a decision on her bail plea would be taken after the hearing on Monday.

Meanwhile, in a related development, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar justified the Government's decision to hand over the probe into the idol theft cases to the CBI and said there was no hidden motive behind it.

He said said the investigation into the case was transferred to CBI as it had international links.

''There is no hidden motive behind it,'' he added.

Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture Minister K Pandiarajan also said Mr Pon Manickavel had not submitted any report on the investigation for the past one year following which the government transferred the case to CBI for a transparent investigation.

Meanhwile, Social Activist Traffic Ramasamy told the court that he was against transferring of the idol theft cases to the CBI.

To this, the court said it would take it up for hearing if he files it in the form of a petition.