Balaji idol stolen from Karnataka seized in Tamil Nadu
Chennai (PTI): An impressive idol of Lord Balaji, reportedly stolen from a temple in Mandya in Karnataka, was seized from a house in Tamil Nadu's Gobichettipalayam, state Idol Wing CID said on Wednesday.
A search by the Idol Wing sleuths led by Inspector Elango under the supervision of Additional DSP Central Zone Balamurugan, who posed as antique idol smugglers, led to the recovery of the Balaji idol, the Idol Wing police said.
Initial enquiries by the Idol Wing revealed that the Balaji idol was stolen a few years ago from a temple in Mandya by the temple pujari and sold to an advocate from Gobichettipalayam.
As part of an effort to recover stolen antique idols, the Idol Wing unit masqueraded two sub inspectors as wealthy idol smugglers. Both began scouting for stolen idols and on November 4, the two SIs viz. Pandiarajan and Rajesh were approached by a broker at Avinashi road in a coffee shop.
During a conversation with the undercover police, the broker revealed that he obtained a 600-year-old antique Balaji idol from an old friend. He could arrange to sell it to them for Rs 33 crore. When the Idol Wing officers showed interest in buying the idol, he promised to show them the antique idol the next day, Idol Wing DGP K Jayanth Murali said.
As promised, the broker led them to the house of an advocate, residing at VIP Muthu Nagar, Nagarpalayam, Gobichettipalayam, and showed them the Idol. The SIs requested the broker to allow them to test the idol before buying it to ascertain its antiquity.
They visited the seller's residence the following day, on November 6, and carried out some make-believe tests. They informed the seller that the Balaji idol was worth only 15 crores in their estimate, the DGP said in the release.
After intense bargaining, the advocate agreed to sell the idol for Rs 15 crore, and the SIs promised to come back the next day with the amount to procure the idol.
The Idol Wing worked out a plan to conduct a search and accordingly the two SIs appeared at the advocate's house carrying a briefcase. When the advocate brought the Balaji idol, Inspector Elango and his team swooped on him and seized the idol.
The advocate, realising that the police had surrounded him, offered no resistance and meekly allowed the Idol Wing police to take custody of the idol.
During interrogation, the advocate admitted that he was working as a junior advocate. His senior knew a pujari at a temple in Mandya. The priest was in a bad financial condition and requested that money be arranged for him and in return he promised to arrange an antique idol worth several crores of rupees in the international market from the temple where he was then working.
The details of the temple and identity of the priest are not known as the senior advocate died in 2018. Prior to his death, in 2017, when he was bringing the idol to Tamil Nadu, his car was stopped by the Karnataka police on suspicion and found the idol of Balaji in his car.
As he did not have papers nor offered a proper explanation for possessing an antique idol which appeared to belong to some temple, the Karnataka police confiscated the idol and registered a case of theft against the advocate.
The Karnataka police completed the investigation and filed a chargesheet. While the case was in progress, the advocate visited Kumbakonam and forged a fake bill and produced it in the court and was acquitted. After obtaining the Balaji idol from the court he took it to Gobichettipalayam, where he decided to sell the idol for Rs 50 crore.
As few prospective customers backed away due to the prohibitive cost of the idol, the late advocate then sought help from his junior to sell the idol. He however took ill suddenly and died in 2018.
In 2021, the junior advocate reduced the idol's price to Rs 33 crore on the advice of one of the brokers, the release explained.
In November, SIs: Rajesh and Pandiarajan disguised themselves as wealthy idol smugglers to seize the idol. When they met one of the brokers on November 4, the broker showed them the idol of Balaji, which the special party of the Idol Wing eventually seized and registered a case.
The seized idol, weighing 22.8 Kg, 58 cm in height and 31 in width, was produced in the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court, Kumbakonam.
DGP C Sylendra Babu appreciated the Idol Wing team for their excellent work.
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National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said he will ask for time from Delhi police to appear before them next week, to provide required information as part of the probe into the National Herald case.
He said he will seek time after the ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature ends on December 19. He will also ask the Delhi police to provide him the FIR copy.
Shivakumar, who is in the national capital, had earlier said that he will appear before the Delhi police on Monday. But, he postponed the plan in order to rush back to Karnataka to participate in the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, scheduled later in the day in Davangere.
"I had to go (to appear before the Delhi police), but I have to go back urgently. I'm asking them for time, stating that I will come next week," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
"They (Delhi police) have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I don't know what the FIR says, I only read in papers. They have given notice, I will ask for a FIR copy. I will come next week after the Assembly session."
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is "supposed to be having vital information" pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In the notice dated November 29, the EOW had asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Investigators have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party, and a complete break up of funds allegedly transferred by him or associated entities to Young Indian.
To a question on meeting AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, amid the ongoing power tussle between him and CM Siddaramaiah over the Chief Minister post, Shivakumar said when he comes to Delhi, he usually meets every one.
"Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge (AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge) or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What's wrong?" he asked.
Shivakumar was in Delhi to take part in Congress' "Vote Chori" rally on Sunday, and had also participated in the lunch organised by the party for its leaders.
Responding to a question, whether any meeting is planned with leaders today, the Deputy CM said, he and Kharge will be travelling together to Karnataka, to pay last respects to Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Asked if he will seek time for a separate meeting with Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, during the next visit to Delhi, Sivakumar said, "such things will be there between us in the party.... you don't worry."
