KOLLAM: The Kollam Vigilance Court on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) granted bail to the senior Tantri of Sabarimala, Kandararu Rajeevaru, in connection with the high-profile gold theft case at the Lord Ayyappa temple.
The court’s decision comes 41 days after the Tantri was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). He was granted bail in two specific cases: one involving the misappropriation of gold from the doorframes (Kattilappadi) of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) and another regarding the gold cladding on the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) strongly opposed the bail plea, arguing that the Tantri had a significant role in the conspiracy. The Vigilance Court observed that, at this stage, there was no direct evidence linking the Tantri to the physical theft of the gold. Considering that the prime accused (Unnikrishnan Potti) and other officials had already secured bail, and the remand period was approaching the 90-day mark without a final chargesheet, the court allowed the bail under strict conditions.
