HC orders filing of report on missing emerald lingam

The Madras High Court Bench here today ordered the City Corporation Commissioner to file a status report on the precious emerald (maragatha) lingam that allegedly went missing from Kunnathur Chatram, a century-old guesthouse for devotees of the famous Goddess Meenakshi temple.
Jutice T Raja directed the Commissioner to file the report on a petition by a city-based advocate Muthukumar who alleged that the lingam, worth crores and kept under the custody of the corporation, had been smuggled to Singapore by some government officials and politicians through hawala agents.
Though he lodged a complaint with police on August 27, no FIR was registered, Muthukumar has claimed.

The petitioner had included the state Chief Secretary and Home Secretary, Madurai District collector, Corporation Commissioner and the Indian High Commissioner to Singapore as parties to the case.
He had sought a direction to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and CBI to conduct an investigation in the case.