Chennai: Even when the shock post the recovery of 91 idols from the residence of businessman and Prakriti Foundation founder Ranvir Shah, reportedly a close aide of idol smuggler Deenadayalan, is yet to die down, the Idol Wing of Tamilnadu police has seized 130 more idols from his farmhouses in Kulangalcheri and Melmaruvathur.
Nine personnel of the Idol Wing today raided the farmhouses of Ranvir in Kulangalcheri and Melmaruvathur. They recovered 80 idols in Melmaruvathur and 50 in Kulangalcheri which is a small village near Orgadam. The raids are continuing and officials are expecting many more idols to be unearthed.
Speaking about this today, Idol Wing IG Pon Manickavel, said, ‘Many rich people in Tamilnadu have the idols hidden. It will be better if they return them now.’
The Idol Wing is part of the Economic Offences Wing of the Tamilnadu police. It received a tip-off from Deenadayalan.
Following his arrest in the idol smuggling case in 2016, the Idol Wing had conducted an enquiry on Ranvirs involvement in the case and about idols in his possession.
However, at the time, the businessman said he had the required permission to keep them. Now, it has been found that they were illegal and that he doesnt have permission to keep them.
A police official said some of the idols are also from an antique dealer in Mattancherry and another in Puducherry.