Balaji idol stolen from Karnataka seized in Tamil Nadu

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 Idol Wing sleuths led by Inspector Elango under supervision of Additional DSP Central Zone Balamurugan, who posed as antique idol smugglers, led to recovery of Balaji idol, Idol Wing police said.

Initial enquiries by Idol Wing revealed that Balaji idol was stolen a few years ago from a temple in Mandya by temple pujari and sold to an advocate from Gobichettipalayam.

As part of an effort to recover stolen antique idols, Idol Wing unit masqueraded two sub inspectors as wealthy idol smugglers. Both began scouting for stolen idols and on vember 4, two SIs viz. Pandiarajan and Rajesh were approached by a broker at Avinashi road in a coffee shop.

During a conversation with undercover police, broker revealed that he obtained a 600-year-old antique Balaji idol from an old friend. He could arrange to sell it to m for Rs 33 crore. When Idol Wing officers showed interest in buying idol, he promised to show m antique idol next day, Idol Wing DGP K Jayanth Murali said. 

As promised, broker led m to house of an advocate, residing at VIP Muthu Nagar, Nagarpalayam, Gobichettipalayam, and showed m Idol. SIs requested broker to allow m to test idol before buying it to ascertain its antiquity.

y visited seller's residence following day, on vember 6, and carried out some make-believe tests. y informed seller that Balaji idol was worth only 15 crores in ir estimate, DGP said in release.

After intense bargaining, advocate agreed to sell idol for Rs 15 crore, and SIs promised to come back next day with amount to procure idol.

Idol Wing worked out a plan to conduct a search and accordingly two SIs appeared at advocate's house carrying a briefcase. When advocate brought Balaji idol, Inspector Elango and his team swooped on him and seized idol.

advocate, realising that police had surrounded him, offered resistance and meekly allowed Idol Wing police to take custody of idol.

During interrogation, advocate admitted that he was working as a junior advocate. His senior  knew a pujari at a temple in Mandya. 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 international market from temple where he was n working.

details of temple and identity of priest are t kwn as senior advocate died in 2018. Prior to his death, in 2017, when he was bringing idol to Tamil Nadu, his car was stopped by Karnataka police on suspicion and found idol of Balaji in his car.

As he did t have papers r offered a proper explanation for possessing an antique idol which appeared to belong to some temple, Karnataka police confiscated idol and registered a case of ft against advocate.

Karnataka police completed investigation and filed a chargesheet. While case was in progress, advocate visited Kumbakonam and forged a fake bill and produced it in court and was acquitted. After obtaining Balaji idol from court he took it to Gobichettipalayam, where he decided to sell idol for Rs 50 crore.

As few prospective customers backed away due to prohibitive cost of idol, late advocate n sought help from his junior to sell idol. He however took ill suddenly and died in 2018.

In 2021, junior advocate reduced idol's price to Rs 33 crore on advice of one of brokers, release explained.

In vember, SIs: Rajesh and Pandiarajan disguised mselves as wealthy idol smugglers to seize idol. When y met one of brokers on vember 4, broker showed m idol of Balaji, which special party of Idol Wing eventually seized and registered a case. 

seized idol, weighing 22.8 Kg, 58 cm in height and 31 in width, was produced in Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court, Kumbakonam.

DGP C Sylendra Babu appreciated Idol Wing team for ir excellent work.