The Supreme Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit a detailed status report on actions taken in cases involving theft and overseas smuggling of heritage temple idols, as well as allegations that key case files related to idol smuggling have gone missing.
A bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan was hearing an appeal filed by advocate “Yaanai” Rajendran, who sought the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe idol smuggling and the missing documents.
During the hearing, the bench observed that the theft of the country’s cultural assets cannot be permitted and that it is the nation’s duty to recover such heritage even if it is located abroad. The court said Tamil Nadu should seek the Centre’s assistance without hesitation if required.
The judges noted that despite multiple directions issued by the High Court and the Supreme Court since 2017, no decisive outcomes or significant action were visible so far. The state was asked to place on record the steps taken in idol theft cases and in the matter of missing case records.
The bench cautioned that if the report is not satisfactory, the court itself may constitute an SIT to investigate the issue. The matter was adjourned for further hearing.
