THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case has arrested former executive officer Sudheesh Kumar for his alleged involvement in the conspiracy and tampering of gold plating from the temple’s idols. This is the third arrest in the case.
According to the SIT, Sudheesh played a major role in handing over the temple’s panels to Unnikrishnan Potti, during which the original gold-plated panels were misrepresented as copper plates. The investigation found that Sudheesh had written a recommendation letter referring to the panels as copper, despite being aware that they were gold-plated.
Reports suggest that after recording that the panels were given to Potti, Sudheesh actually handed them over to two of Potti’s friends.
The investigation team has collected records from the Travancore Devaswom Board headquarters dating back to 1998–99, when the gold plating of the sanctum sanctorum and other idols was done. These documents will be examined in detail to determine the missing gold.
Meanwhile, Murari Babu, former Devaswom Administrative Officer, who was in SIT custody in connection with the same case, was remanded till November 13 by the Ranni First Class Judicial Magistrate Court. He was produced in court after the expiry of his custody period and has been shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Special Sub Jail.