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Into the case of disappearance of a statue of a peacock from the Arulmighu Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore, Chennai, the Madras High Court has sought a status report with regard to the fact finding inquiry as well as of the investigation by January 24, 2022.

The bench of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu directed the Special Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) appearing on behalf of the Government to submit the status report. Court said, "It is for the reason that for the last three years, the fact finding inquiry and investigation are going on without any conclusion."

Further, expressing displeasure over the delay in the completion of the probe, court warned the concerned officials of consequence. Court noted,

"If the court does not find any justification for the delay in completion of the fact-finding inquiry and the investigation, necessary orders would be passed against the erring official."

During the hearing of the matter on January 19, the APP had excused that though the investigation is almost over the final report could not be filed. However, he had added that a status report with regard to the stage of the investigation would be submitted by the next date of hearing. The next hearing of the case will take place on 24 January 2022.

The Peacock Idol

The case is linked to the alleged theft of an idol of a peacock from Punnaivananathar Sannidhi in Kapaleeswarar temple in the year 2004. The allegation is that the original peacock carrying a flower on its beak had been shifted out of the temple during its consecration in 2004 and replaced with an identical idol of the bird holding a snake on its beak.

Thereafter in August 2018, a petitioner named Rangarajna Narasimhan had approached the court with a writ petition alleging malpractice by the Temple officials as appointed by the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department of the State.

The idol wing then began an investigation into the case where members of the HRCE Department were interrogated, however, the case has not come to a conclusion yet. 

Case Title: Rangarajan Narasimhan v. The Board of Trustees And 6 Others