Sabarimala gold loot: SIT to probe former TDB chief’s foreign trips

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold loot case has decided to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the foreign trips of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A. Padmakumar, who was arrested on Thursday.

The probe team aims to determine the purpose of Padmakumar’s foreign travels and examine financial transactions between him and Unnikrishna Potty, the prime accused in the case, during those trips. Investigators are also looking into whether Padmakumar accompanied Potty on his visits to England.

Advertisement

During a raid at Padmakumar’s residence in Aranmula on Friday, the SIT confiscated his passport and seized documents related to financial dealings between him and the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potty. Income tax documents belonging to Padmakumar and his wife were also taken into custody.

Investigators have reportedly found that after stealing gold from the gold-plated coverings of the Dwarapalaka sculptures and the door frame of the sanctum sanctorum in 2019, Unnikrishnan Potty travelled to England and Egypt. A comprehensive inquiry into Potty’s foreign travels is currently underway.

Meanwhile, the SIT has decided to record actor Jayaram’s statement in the Sabarimala gold theft case. In 2019, Unnikrishna Potty had taken the gold-plated copper panels from Sabarimala to the actor’s house for a private ritual. This has become part of a broader investigation into the misappropriation of temple artefacts, with authorities examining whether the original panels were swapped with copper ones and whether their return was delayed without authorization.