In the Sabarimala gold theft case, former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A. Padmakumar—currently under judicial remand—has been handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for custodial interrogation. The Kollam Vigilance Court granted the SIT two days’ custody, with the period ending tomorrow at 5 p.m. The decision followed the SIT’s formal request for custodial interrogation.
The court is also expected to deliver its verdict today on the bail plea of Murari Babu, another accused in the case.
Meanwhile, the SIT has recorded the statements of the Sabarimala tantri family in connection with the investigation. The tantri representatives stated that they knew Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused. However, they clarified that the permission to carry out repair work on the gold plating of the sanctum façade was granted based on directions received from the temple administration officials.
In a related development, photographs have surfaced showing prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti standing alongside senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi.
