Even as the special bench created at the Madras High Court to hear cases pertaining to temple idol thefts in Tamil Nadu has been dissolved, Special officer and head of Special Investigation Team (SIT), Idol Wing-CID, AG Ponn Manickavel has moved a contempt plea against the top bureaucrats of the State for attempting to scuttle the probe by SIT into several cases of idol thefts.
Chennai:
Further noting that the ADGP was constantly interfering with the functioning of SIT, Manickavel said the ADGP in the guise of review meetings, was coercing the officers to submit all details regarding plan of action and investigation to ensure that the officer working for SIT is under the ADGP’s control.
He also submitted that a senior minister in the Tamil Nadu Government, the DGP and others were sneaking into the investigation of the cases by the SIT. Manickavel also contended that the DGP was guilty of not ensuring transfer of all the idol theft cases to SIT as ordered by the High Court and also passed an order stating that the removal and replacement of antique peacock idol in the Subramania Swamy Temple in Tiruchendur shall not be transferred to SIT. He also charged the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary of not providing the basic facilities for proper investigation of the cases by the SIT as directed by the High Court.
Ponn Manickavel on moving the contempt plea against Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanthan, Additional Chief Secretary Niranjan Mardi, Director General of Police (DGP) T K Rajendran and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Abhay Kumar Singh, had contended that without obtaining due orders from the High Court, the government has appointed one Rajeswari as Superintendent of Police Idol Wing, in a newly created post with ulterior motive to meddle with the course of investigation.
Further noting that the ADGP was constantly interfering with the functioning of SIT, Manickavel said the ADGP in the guise of review meetings, was coercing the officers to submit all details regarding plan of action and investigation to ensure that the officer working for SIT is under the ADGP’s control.
He also submitted that a senior minister in the Tamil Nadu Government, the DGP and others were sneaking into the investigation of the cases by the SIT. Manickavel also contended that the DGP was guilty of not ensuring transfer of all the idol theft cases to SIT as ordered by the High Court and also passed an order stating that the removal and replacement of antique peacock idol in the Subramania Swamy Temple in Tiruchendur shall not be transferred to SIT. He also charged the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary of not providing the basic facilities for proper investigation of the cases by the SIT as directed by the High Court.