Antique dealer Kapoor produced in Kumbakonam court

Kumbakonam (TN), Feb 5: US-based international antique dealer Subhash Chandra Kapoor, arrested in connection with theft of idols from two ancient temples in Tamil Nadu, was today produced before a special court here which remanded him to judicial custody and is set to try the cases against him.

Judge S Baskaran of the Additional chief Judicial Magistrate Court, which is the special court for idol theft cases, remanded Kapoor to judicial remand till February 19 and posted the matter for hearing on that day.

A person of Indian origin, Kapoor, who owns Nimubs Imports and Exports company based in New York, has been charged with smuggling antique idols belonging to Varadaraja Perumal Temple at Suthamalli village and Arulmigu Pragadeeswarar Temple at Stipurndan village Ariyalur district.

After his extradition with the help of Interpol police, Kapoor was arrested by the state police in 2012 in connection with theft of idols from two ancient temples in the state and lodged in the Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai.

Two idol theft cases were pending against him and others in the Judicial Magistrate Court in Jayamkondam in Ariyalur district. The cases were transferred to the Special court here for trial in September, 2015 by the Madras High Court, allowing a plea by the state government.

The High Court had then ordered that Kapoor need not be produced before the special court for every hearing and his appearance may be recorded through video conference facility.

When the matter came up for hearing today for the first time after the transfer, Kapoor was brought from Chennai amid tight security by CID and produced before Judge Baskaran.

Adjourning the matter to February 19, the Judge said Kapoor would be examined through video conference and if necessary the court will have his personal appearance. Later, Kapoor was taken back to Chennai.

PTI