The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Idol Wing - Criminal Investigation Department (IW-CID) to complete the investigation into the alleged theft of a peacock idol from the Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore, Chennai, and file a final report within four months failing which the First Investigation Report (FIR) registered in 2018 shall stand quashed.
Justice G. Jayachandran passed the orders on petitions filed by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Additional Commissioner N. Thirumagal and former government chief sthapathi M. Muthiah to quash the FIR since they had been arrayed as accused in the idol theft which reportedly took place during temple consecration in 2004.
The judge made it clear that even if the FIR gets quashed for default, it should not be taken as a clean chit to any person and that those responsible could be prosecuted whenever the missing idol gets traced or any material surfaces which would be sufficient to reasonably believe that the original idol was replaced clandestinely.
