Thiruvananthapuram/Pathanamthitta, Oct 17: In the ongoing Sabarimala gold theft case, Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, was taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Thursday. The SIT reached Potti’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram early in the day and escorted him to a secret location in Pathanamthitta for questioning.
It remains unclear whether Potti’s formal arrest has been recorded. The SIT is expected to interrogate him regarding the stolen gold, its whereabouts, and potential involvement of other suspects. Following the interrogation, he is likely to undergo a medical examination and appear in the Ranni court (Pathanamthitta).
As part of the investigation, the SIT is also conducting inspections at Sabarimala, including checks on official files at the Executive Office.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tarun Chugh criticized the Kerala government over the controversy, alleging corruption and misuse of temple resources. Speaking to ANI, Chugh said the Left-led government had turned Hindu temples into hubs of corruption and demanded a thorough and impartial investigation. He emphasized that the Devaswom Board and ministers involved must be held accountable.
In a related development, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president PS Prasanth announced the suspension of assistant engineer K Sunil Kumar, who has been named as an accused in the case. Retired officers implicated in the gold-plating controversy will receive show-cause notices with a 10-day deadline to respond.
Prasanth stated that the Kerala government, along with the Devaswom Board, is committed to recovering lost property and punishing culprits. He also condemned protests and attacks on Board employees, stressing that all actions are being taken while upholding rituals and traditions at the temple.
The case traces back to 2019, and the ongoing investigations aim to uncover irregularities in gold plating and temple asset management.