On 10 August 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned former Idol Wing IG Pon Manickavel at his residence in Palavakkam regarding an idol theft case. This investigation was prompted by a High Court order following a petition filed by former Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kader Batcha. The questioning, which continued into the evening, involved collecting various documents related to the case.
The case dates back to 2022, when the CBI re-registered a First Information Report (FIR) initially filed by the Idol Wing CID in 2017. The FIR accused the wing’s DSP and two other officers of stealing three idols from a Thirunelveli temple and selling them for ₹15 lakh through a dealer named Deenadayalan. The CBI took over the case as directed by the Madras High Court, which was hearing Batcha’s petition challenging the FIR filed against him when Pon Manickavel led the wing. Batcha alleged that Manickavel had wrongfully implicated him in the theft case.
The court instructed the CBI to investigate whether any officers had falsified evidence or fabricated details in the case and to report their findings. Subsequently, the CBI filed a new FIR on the 8th of August, naming Pon Manickavel as an accused based on Batcha’s representations.
According to the FIR, Batcha had sought the Madras High Court’s intervention in 2019 to direct the registration of a case against Manickavel. On 22 July 2022, the court ordered the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the allegations made in Batcha’s representations and to proceed if any criminal activity was found.
The FIR alleges that the preliminary inquiry revealed that Manickavel was involved in offences such as falsely implicating Batcha, illegal arrest, and fabricating documents with false statements. Manickavel has denied the allegations, claiming that the accusations against him are a coordinated attempt to discredit him and asserting that they will not succeed.
Speaking to the reporters former Idol Wing IG Pon Manickavel stated, “Not one or two cases there are a thousand cases against me. Till I die, I will be under investigation for the cases I have investigated. I already have said the reason a hundred times. Even after retirement, I’m filing complaints regarding missing idols, which you’ve seen in many places; hence, this (investigation) will be regular to me. I have already, after assessment, provided the documents from my side and helped them.”
The former idol wing IG clarified the purpose of the CBI inquiry, emphasising that it was not an illegal raid but a legitimate investigation. He noted that he has numerous old documents and that the officers had never questioned his integrity. He explained that the inquiry stemmed from his case against DSP Kader Batcha. The CBI had previously visited him and had returned for further investigation.
Later, Pon Manickavel alleged, “The local and international accused are all ganging up. They want to start their old business. To revive that business, they have to dilute all the cases I’ve initiated, and to dilute the case, they are giving me problems. You know me, they could not disturb me as they liked. This is my duty: I’ll joyously go to the court; I’ll face anything and won’t give up.”
"நான் சாகும் வரை விசாரணை நடத்துவாங்க.. இங்க பல கோவில்களையே காணோம்.. ஓய்வு பெற்றும் நான் உதவிக்கொண்டு இருக்கிறேன்"… சிபிஐ விசாரணைக்கு பின் பொன். மாணிக்கவேல் ஆவேச பேட்டி#Chennai | #IdolCase | #PonnManickavel | #Police | #CBI | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/N0ZPrg5zjP
— Polimer News (@polimernews) August 10, 2024
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