Renowned sculptor Muthiah Sthapathi and another person were arrested in connection with the alleged irregularities in making an idol for the famous Sri Dhandayuthapaniswami temple in Palani in 2004, police said on Monday, 26 March.
Muthiah is the chief ‘sthapathi’ of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department and a former member of the Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission (TNPSC), reports The Hindu. The other person arrested in connection with the idol replacement case is K K Raja, a former executive officer of the Palani temple, member of the TNPSC and the son-in-law of a Minister.
Muthiah, who is a Padmashri awardee and KK Raja were allegedly involved in irregularities pertaining to use of gold for making the idol meant to replace the presiding deity.
A decision was taken to replace the presiding 'Nava Bhashana' idol in 2003, which was a conspiracy, the Idol Wing police claimed.
According to The Hindu, the real agenda behind the replacement of the idol, was to make the public believe that the replica was the original while the original could be called ‘damaged’ and removed, so it could be smuggled out of the country to be sold at an art gallery.
The report mentions that as part of this “conspiracy”, the replica idol was to be made of five metals weighing 200 kg.
Muthiah had been placed in charge of creating the new idol by HR&CE officials, including Raja and according to The Hindu report, the temple authorities spent nearly Rs 60 lakh on the project.
Several devotees had also donated gold and other metals for making the idol, which was examined by a team of metallurgists from IIT-Madras recently.
During inspection, however, the team found the new idol made without the specified quantities including the gold.
While Muthiah was arrested in Chennai, the retired EO was held in Coimbatore last night.
(With inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)