V Sekar, a popular Tamil filmmaker who has many mega-hits to his credit, and that too made on shoe-string budget, was arrested on Wednesday night on charges of stealing and smuggling idols from temples in Tamil Nadu.
Wednesday night saw sleuths of the Economic Offences Wing, Tamil Nadu Police, charging into the residence of Sekar at Kodambakkam, a Chennai suburb which has number of cinema production houses and residential colonies of artistes and technicians. The team seized from Sekar’s house eight Panchaloha idols worth `80 crore in international market.
According to Pratheep Philip, ADGP, Idol Wing, these temples are believed to have been stolen from various temples in the State. “We had arrested five persons earlier in connection with idol theft. Those arrested included crew members from Sekar’s production company and they spilled the beans during questioning,” said an inspector in the team.
The Tamil film world was frozen when news broke out that Sekar has been held in connection with temple idol theft and smuggling. “I could not believe this news. Sekar Sir was a master storyteller who has made some of the all time great movies in Tamil without any mega or super stars,” said a popular heroin who has worked with him in the past.