Mangalore : There has been some interesting turn of events in the investigations into the case of burglary of Siddantha Darshana Mandir at Moodbidri. According to latest information, the prime accused had not melted the ancient idols stolen from the Basadi to be made gold ingots, but that the idols have already been sold in Bangkok for a staggering Rs 2400 crores.
Sources also said that the golden ingots seized from the house of the main accused Santosh Das were not secured by melting the idols but were plain gold ingots.
It has also been gathered that Subhash Sancheti, the jeweler from Durg in Chattisgarh who was arrested for purchasing stolen idols,has revealed that the idols have been taken for international smuggling.
Subhash is said to be brother-in-law of Ashok Badediya, partner of AT Group and the two were the actual master minds in the case.
Meanwhile, there is also information that there was political pressure on the Karnataka Government to close the case and also that the Chattisgarh authorities were not assisting in the probe. Gajendra Jain, Regional president of Akhil Bharatiya Digambar Jain Samaj in Chhatisgarh, has also expressed apprehensions in this regard.
The Jain Samaj leaders have also met Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shindhe urging to entrust the case to the CBI and also to seek Interpol help.