CHENNAI: The idol wing police on Friday gave an oral undertaking to the Madras high court that they will not arrest TVS Motor Company chairman
Venu Srinivasan
for six weeks in connection with an FIR registered for alleged theft of idols from
Mylapore
Kapaleeswarar Temple.
Recording the submissions, a special division bench for idol theft cases Justice R Mahadevan and Justice PD Audikeasavlu adjourned the anticipatory bail application moved by Srinivasan for six weeks.
Srinivasan had moved the high court seeking advance bail expressing “reasonable apprehension” of arrest in connection with the case.
According to the petitioner, in 2004, the state government wanted to conduct Kumbabhishekam in various temples and constituted a ‘Koil Thiruppani Committee’ in which he was also a member.
“Though the committee was formed, each of the temple has its own executive officer and other officers of HR & CE to look after the execution of the works relating to the renovation and Kumbabhishekham,” he said in his petition.
He said that being a devotee of Kapaleeswarar, he had spent Rs 70 lakh from his personal funds for painting work of various sanandhis, gopurams and flooring. Submitting that he is innocent, Srinivasan added that he had no other connection with the temple except he is also a devotee of Kapaleeswarar.
This apart, he submitted that as a
chairman
of board of trustees of Srirangam temple, he had spent nearly Rs 25 crore for the renovation of the entire temple complex out of his own funds.
Read full anticipatory bail plea petition by Mr Venu Srinivasan here