Ministers defend transfer of idol wing cases to CBI

“There are many good and honest officials loyal to the government. But, they don’t try to gain publicity. Some of the officials try to gain publicity. You know who it is,” the Minister told reporters here. The government had nothing to cover up in the idol theft case and the state police could not conduct enquiries into an international crime.

He said the CBI is the right agency for investigating the idol theft cases and it would find out the truth and punish the guilty. He said those who committed mistakes in the Anna University examination results scam would be punished and none would be allowed to escape. The government is transparent, and action would be taken based on investigation, he asserted.

Addressing the media before leaving for the GST meeting at New Delhi, the Minister said he would convey the problems faced by the MSMEs due to the GST regime and urge for simplification of tax return procedures. 

When asked about the Madras High Court’s direction to wind up the non-functional enquiry commissions like Regupathi Commission, he said such matters come under the policy decisions of the state government. He said the state government would take an appropriate decision based on its findings.

Handloom Minister OS Manian too defended the move saying that it is customary to transfer such cases to the CBI. Tamil Development Minister K Pandiarajan said his department would count the number of idols in Tamil Nadu and create a record for them.