Mangalore: Moodbidri Basadi theft - Santosh Das granted bail
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Mar 1: The third additional civil court at Mangalore has granted bail to Santosh Das alias Ghanshyam, the main accused in the theft of ancient idols from Siddhanta Basadi here.
These miniature idols, which command very high antique value, had been stolen on July 5 last year. Siddhanta Mandir forms part of Guru Basadi, which is one of the leading Jain Maths in the town.
The police, who pursued the leads, arrested the main accused, Santosh Das, his wife, Deeptimayi Patnaik, and father-in-law, Digambar Mohanty, from Orissa. The other accused had succeeded in getting bail easily.
While eight of the stolen idols had been confiscated by the police from the possession of the accused, the other 12 idols had been later sent by unknown persons to the office of the police commissioner at Mangalore by speed post.
Advocate for the accused, Nagesh Shetty D Moodbidri, in his bail application, contended that his client is eligible to be released on bail, as the police, who in their report, claimed that 12 idols had been stolen, have already recovered 20 idols in total. He pointed out that the recovery of additional idols has given rise to doubts about the veracity of police investigation. He accused the police of not doing anything about some other accused, whose names had been revealed by the main accused during interrogation.
After hearing arguments from both the sides, the judge granted bail to Das. Das also faces several other theft cases in Karnataka coast, and he has succeeded in getting bail in all but a couple of miscellaneous cases. His lawyer, Nagesh Shetty, had succeeded in getting bail in cases like theft at Ganga Jewellery in Karkala, and Kodyadka temple. The accused is confident of getting bail in the remaining cases also and then go to his native place.
The case had been handled by a court in Mangalore, as the court in Moodbidri does not have a presiding officer at present.