New Delhi, July 21 (Reporter) The Supreme Court today recorded an undertaking from retired IPS officer Pon Manickavel, accused of falsely implicating police officials in Tamil Nadu's idol theft cases, that he would refrain from giving any media interviews related to the matter. At Manickavel’s request, the court also restrained officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the investigating officer from making any statements against him during this period. A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta was hearing a plea filed by the CBI seeking surrender of Manickavel’s passport and a restraining order preventing him from giving media interviews. Appearing for Manickavel, Senior Advocate S Nagamuthu submitted that his client’s passport is due to expire soon. Therefore, he will apply for issuance of a fresh passport, and once renewed, it will be surrendered. Nagamuthu further assured the court that Manickavel would not leave India without prior permission from the trial court. On the CBI’s plea to restrain Manickavel from giving media statements, Nagamuthu submitted that his client undertakes not to make any public statement to press or media (electronic or print) concerning the present case. He requested that CBI officials also be similarly restrained to ensure fairness. The court accepted these submissions and passed its order accordingly. The FIR against Manickavel was registered on the complaint of suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police Kader Batcha, who was arrested for allegedly colluding in the theft of idols from a Pazhavoor temple in 2005. In August last year, the Madras High Court granted Manickavel anticipatory bail with conditions, including daily appearance before CBI for four weeks and a prohibition on tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses. However, after interrogation, Manickavel allegedly gave media interviews discussing details of the investigation, which Batcha claimed interfered with the probe and violated bail conditions. Batcha subsequently filed a representation before the CBI and a petition before the Madras High Court seeking action against Manickavel’s media interactions. In March, Manickavel had submitted before the High Court that he had stopped giving interviews and would not do so in future, following which he gave a written undertaking and the petition was disposed of. The present petition before the Supreme Court was filed by the CBI seeking additional bail conditions, impounding of his passport and prohibition on media statements. In May, the apex court had issued notice to Manickavel. Today’s order restrains both parties from making public statements, maintaining the status quo until further proceedings...////...