Spl bench on idol cases dissolved

A notification issued by the Registrar (Judicial) N Jothiraman said, “There are only a few writ petitions/public interest litigations relating to movable properties like theft or disappearance of temple idols, jewels and other valuables owned by the temples, pending in the principal seat as well as in the Madurai bench.”

Therefore, in modification to the notification dated July 23, 2018 and to the notification dated March 21, 2019 published on the cause list of the high court, it is notified that those cases shall be listed before the respective division benches/single benches as per roster,” the notification issued with the cause list added.

The special bench was constituted by the then Chief Justice Indira Banerjee to hear cases related to rampant complaints of theft of ancient idols. The said bench which began with hearing a case related to the alleged theft of artefacts from the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tiruchy, quashed a Government Order that transferred all the pending and future idol thefts cases to the CBI.

The bench had also appointed IG AG Ponn Manickavel on his superannuation as the head of the Special Investigation Team to probe idol theft cases despite State government’s claim that Ponn Manickavel after superannuation can’t exercise any power entrusted on a police officer under the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The bench in its order then had held, “We are of the view that the State all along is not inclined to continue with the investigation of idol theft cases as the same were transferred to the CBI despite pendency of the stay order of this court.” It may be noted that the quashing of the Government order handing over all the idol theft cases to the CBI and appointment of Ponn Manickavel was upheld by the Supreme Court.