Sujaysukumar v. State, Rep. by the Inspector of Police,

ORDER The petitioners apprehend arrest for the alleged offence under Sections 408, 420, 465, 468 and 201 of IPC in Crime No. 04 of 2026 on the file of the respondent police seek anticipatory bail.

¶2It is the case of the prosecution that the petitioners along with the 1st accused, are the hereditary Arangavalars of Thalamalai Venkatachalapathy Temple. The allegation is that they, in furtherance of their common intention, committed theft of the impon Vilakku Nachiyar Statute idol belonging to the temple and replaced it with a fake idol made of brass, thereby attempting to conceal the theft. It is further alleged that they also committed theft of the Gouram Kalasam. Hence the complaint.

¶3I have given my anxious consideration to the submissions made by the learned counsel appearing on either side.

¶4The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the idol alleged to have been stolen from the temple is only an imaginary one and that the idol presently available in the temple is the very same idol that has been in existence there for a long time.

¶5At this juncture, the learned counsel for the intervenor objected to the said submission and contended that the stolen idol is yet to be recovered. Page3 of 4

¶6The learned Government Advocate, on instructions, produced a report submitted by the Superintendent of the Archaeology Department (Retired), Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai, who is presently associated with the Idol Wing-CID, Chennai. The report states that the idol presently available in the temple does not tally with the Vilakku Nachiyar idol seen in the video footage recorded earlier. According to the report, the idol seen in the video footage belongs to the 17th or 18th century, whereas the idol presently available in the temple is of recent origin.

¶7In view of the above factual position, and taking into consideration the importance of preserving the nation's precious cultural and heritage resources, as well as the fact that the stolen idol has not yet been recovered, this Court finds force in the contention of the learned Government Advocate that, if the petitioner is enlarged on bail at this stage, it would jeopardize the prosecution case.

¶8Accordingly, this Court is not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioners. The Anticipatory bail application stands dismissed. 29-06-2026 JRS Page4 of 4

C.KUMARAPPAN, J. JRS To

1.The II Metropolitan Magistrate, Chennai.

2.The Inspector of Police, Idol Wing Police Station, Chennai. Cr.No. 04/2026.

3.The Public Prosecutor, High Court of Madras. 29-06-2026

Page1 of 4 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 29-06-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE C.KUMARAPPAN 1. Sujaysukumar S/o. Nandhagopan, Residing at, No.2 79, Nadu Veethi, Sevinthipatti, Namakkal. 2. Narayansami S/o. Ramasamy, No.2/231, Melaputhur, Udayakulamputhur, Tirichirapalli. ..Petitioners/ Accused 3 and 4 Vs State, rep. by the Inspector of Police, Idol Wing Police Station, Chennai. Cr.No. 04/2026. ..Respondent/ complainant PRAYER : Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, Act, 2023, to release of the Petitioners on bail in the event of their arrest by the respondent police in Cr.No.04 of 2026 pending on the file of the Respondent Police. For Petitioners: Mr. P.Aravindhan For Respondent: MR.N.PALANIVEL, GOVT.ADVOCATE (CRL.SIDE) Page2 of 4