Complete probe into missing peacock idol within six weeks: HC

Court wants both police investigation and HR&CE fact-finding inquiry to be completed simultaneously

The Madras High Court on Monday ordered that the police investigation as well as a fact-finding inquiry instituted by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department into the theft of Punnai Mara Nathar (holy peacock) idol from the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore must be completed within six weeks.

Acting Chief Justice Muniswar Nath Bhandari and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu passed the interim orders on a 2018 public interest litigation petition filed by Rangarajan Narasimhan of Srirangam. The litigant had claimed that the idol went missing since 2004 and that it had been replaced with a fake idol which was being worshipped now.

However, in one of the reports filed before the court in March 2019, the then HR&CE Commissioner, K. Phanindra Reddy, told the court that the peacock idol could have been replaced even before the 2004 Kumbabhishekam (consecration) of the temple. Referring to certain records, he had claimed that the change of idol might have occurred before March 31, 2003.