SIT raids former TDB Chief Padmakumar's residence in Sabarimala gold theft probe

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], November 21 (ANI): The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the theft of gold from the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple on Friday conducted a raid at the residence of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar in Aranmula. Investigators suspect that the conspiracy behind the gold heist may have been hatched at his residence.
Padmakumar, who appeared before the SIT on Thursday morning for questioning, was arrested later that evening after a marathon interrogation session. His arrest marks a significant shift in the political landscape surrounding the case.
Until now, the CPI(M) had distanced itself from the controversy, repeatedly asserting that neither the party nor the state government had any role in the Sabarimala gold theft. However, with the arrest of Padmakumar, a member of the Pathanamthitta district committee, the party's long-held stance of denial faces renewed scrutiny.
The development comes at a crucial time, as the Sabarimala pilgrimage season is underway and local body elections are approaching.
Meanwhile, Former Travancore Devaswom Board President A Padmakumar has been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by the Kollam Vigilance Court in the Sabarimala gold theft case.
A Padmakumar was arrested on Thursday by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kerala Police in the Sabarimala gold theft case.
He was the Devaswom Board president in 2019, when the gold theft took place. The arrest came after the SIT questioned him for several hours at the State Police Headquarters since this morning.
On November 17, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) began a scientific examination at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam as part of the ongoing probe into the gold theft case. Officials are collecting samples from the Dwarapalaka sculpture inside the sanctum sanctorum and from the gold-covered wooden door structure.
On November 7, the SIT of the Kerala Crime Branch arrested former Thiruvabharanam Temple Commissioner KS Baiju in connection with the case.
This comes after the Kerala High Court granted permission to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a scientific examination as part of its ongoing investigation into the alleged case.
The Sabarimala gold controversy involves alleged irregularities concerning the gold plating work at the Sabarimala temple. This situation arose from a donation of 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998, intended for cladding the sanctum sanctorum and wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.
Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, was reportedly taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on October 17. The SIT, which is investigating the matter, submitted its second report to the Kerala High Court on Wednesday, revealing serious irregularities in the minutes of the Travancore Devaswom Board. According to the SIT report, the record book does not include details about the transfer of the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idol to Unnikrishnan Potti in 2019.
Furthermore, the report indicates that no entries have been made after July 28, 2025. It also notes that the documentation regarding the transfer of gold plating to Smart Creations, the firm responsible for electroplating gold-clad copper coverings for the idols at the Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple, is missing from the minutes book. Currently, the SIT has requested permission to conduct a scientific investigation to determine the actual weight of the gold-plated idols before and after restoration. (ANI)