International idol smuggler Subhash Kapoor, aides convicted
Antiques and Idol smuggler Subhash Chandra Kapoor is convicted by a trial court in Tamil Nadu’s Kumbakonam on Tuesday for 10 years. Kapoor, a US citizen was caught in Germany for the illegal export of 19 antique idols valued over Rs.94 crore to the Art of the Past Gallery, New York. The art gallery in New York is owned by him. Kapoor was handed over to India from Germany in 2012 and faced five cases of burglary and idol thefts from various temples in Tamil Nadu. The current conviction is in Udayarpalayam burglary, said Tamil Nadu Police’s Idol Wing CID.
Special Court Judge D Shanmuga Priya also convicted Kapoor’s five accomplices for 10 years and a penalty too. The five accomplices involved in the theft of idols are burglaries in temples: Sanjivi Asokan, Marichamy, Packiya Kumar, Sri Ram alias Ulagu and Parthiban.
Kapoor was detained by German Police on October 30, 2011, at German Cologne Airport based on a Red Corner Notice issued by the Interpol and was handed over to Tamil Nadu Police on July 13, 2012, at German Cologne Airport and extradited to India to face charges in the Udayarpalayam case. For the past 10 years, Kapoor is in prison.
Kapoor had illegally sold some of the stolen idols to various museums and private art collectors throughout the world. “Subsequently, he was arrayed as an accused in 4 other idol theft cases which are pending for the concurrence of the Government of Germany to prosecute him in these cases also,” a release from the Idol Wing CID said. He is facing trial in cases at Vikramangalam, Veeravanallur, Palvoor, and Virudhachalam.
This year, 2 more idols stolen by Kapoor were repatriated to India on June 1, this year and the same were received from the ASI New Delhi by the IW CID Police, Chennai, recently, and handed over to the Special Court, Kumbakonam.
“The Idol Wing has obtained a befitting conviction for Subhash Kapoor and co-accused in the Udayarpalayam case. Criminals most often do not get punished due to poor investigation by the police. Idol wing, therefore, took steps to reduce the number of acquittals through measures to prevent witnesses from turning hostile, appropriate guidance to investigating officers, and proper follow-up action,” said Police in a statement.
The IW CID DGP K Jayanth Murali announced a befitting reward to ADSP Central zone Balamurugan and his team for expediting the trial in the high-profile Kapoor case despite mounting pressure due to diverse dilatory tactics adopted by Kapoor and co-accused to delay the trial and the attendant breach of assurance given by the government in extradition proceedings to the German government, the release said.
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Smuggling God Idols is like unpardonable act. He should be punished for entire life.