BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED :07.04.2026 CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE R.VIJAYAKUMAR CRL.O.P(MD)No.6770 of 2026 and CRL.M.P(MD)Nos.7344 and 7346 of 2026 1.P.Neelamegam 2.M.Ravikumar 3.M.Natarajan 4.R.Muthukrishnan 5.Krishnamoorthy ... Petitioners/Accused No. 1 to 5 .Vs. 1.The State of Tamil Nadu, represented by the Inspector of Police, Jeyamangalam Police Station, Theni District (Crime No.117 of 2025) ...Ist Respondent/Complainant 2.Dhanalakshmi Hindu Religious and Endowments Department, Periyakulam, Theni District. ...Second Respondent/Defacto Complainant 1/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis PRAYER: Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 528 of BNSS, 2023, praying this Court to call for the records relating to C.C.No.8 of 2026, on the file of Judicial Magistrate, Periyakulam arising out of Crime No.117 of 2025, on the file of first respondent Police and quash the same as illegal. For Petitioners : Mr.D.Nallathambi For Respondent-1 :Mr.R.Meenakshi Sundaram Additional Public Prosecutor O R D E R The present petition has been filed by the accused No.1 to 5 in C.C.No.8 of 2026, on the file of Judicial Magistrate, Periyakulam seeking to quash the charge sheet, wherein, the Petitioners have been charge sheeted for the offence under Sections 298 and 324(4) of BNSS, 2023. 2.A perusal of the charge sheet reveals that the Petitioners herein who are non-hereditory trustees of a temple and they were granted permsision by the HR and CE Department officials for carrying out renovation work after obtaining permission from the Screening Commitee only to repair the temple statues. The 2/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis allegation against the Petitioners is that they have replaced the old one with a new one without following the Agama principles and rules relating to the HR and CE Department. 3.According to the learned counsel for the Petitioners, the statutes were removed and new statues had been put up after getting prior permission from the Department. 4.A perusal of the permission granted by the HR and CE Department officials reveals that the Petitioners were granted permission only to renovate and repair the statues and not for subsitution of the idols. Therefore, prima facie case has been made out as against the Petitioners. Therefore, the trial Court is directed to dispose of the criminal proceedings pending against the Petitioners without being influenced by any of the observations made by this Court. 5.In view of the above facts, the Criminal Original petition stands dismissed. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed. 07.04.2026 NCS : Yes/No Index : Yes / No 3/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Internet : Yes / No vsn To 1.The Judicial Magistrate, Periyakulam. 2.The Inspector of Police, Jeyamangalam Police Station, Theni District (Crime No.117 of 2025 Copy to The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. R.VIJAYAKUMAR.,J. vsn 4/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ORDER MADE IN CRL.O.P(MD)No.6770 of 2026 and CRL.M.P(MD)Nos.7344 and 7346 of 2026 07.04.2026 5/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis