THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case has made a major breakthrough as it arrested former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president N Vasu in connection with the alleged theft of gold from the Sreekovil door frame.
This marks the first high-profile arrest in the case, which followed multiple rounds of interrogation by the sleuths. Vasu had earlier served twice as Devaswom Commissioner before assuming charge as TDB president.
The SIT found that it was during Vasu’s tenure as Devaswom Commissioner that the order was issued permitting Unnikrishnan Potti to take the gold-plated sheet for electroplating in Chennai.
The investigators also maintained that it was allegedly on Vasu’s instruction that the gold-clad sheet was mentioned as a copper sheet in the Devaswom order as well as in the mahazar.
Sources said that statements given by the co-accused, who were arrested earlier in the case, proved the alleged involvement of Vasu, a CPM leader widely believed to have maintained good rapport with the party’s state leadership.
Unnikrishnan had confirmed to the SIT that he had emailed Vasu about the gold that was left over after the renovation works of the door frame and the dwarapalaka idols.
Unnikrishnan had informed that he was in possession of the excess gold and had expressed his desire to spend it on the marriage of a girl who was in need of financial support, with the board’s cooperation. The SIT’s finding is that despite knowing that the gold belonging to the shrine was with Unnikrishnan, Vasu allegedly did nothing to retrieve it.
In its remand report of Unnikrishnan, the SIT had mentioned that it was on the directive of Vasu that the gold-plated copper sheets were recorded as mere copper plates in official documents in March 2019.
Vasu was earlier questioned by the SIT and released conditionally. Sources added that the records seized from the TDB head office also point towards Vasu, suggesting his alleged involvement.
A Padmakumar was the president when the scam took place, and the SIT is expected to make a move on him soon. A former CPM MLA from Konni, Padmakumar served as TDB president from November 2017 to November 2019.
So far, the SIT has arrested five people, including former Sabarimala administrative officer Murari Babu, former Sabarimala executive officer Sudheesh Kumar, and former Thiruvabharana Commissioner K S Biju.