Sabarimala gold theft case: In further setback to Kerala’s ruling party, SIT arrests CPM leader Padmakumar

The SIT had earlier found that the Dwarapalaka idols and door frames of the temple’s sanctum sanctorum, which had already been gold-plated in 1998-1999, were handed over to one Unnikrishnan Potty for another round of gold plating. When the items were returned, around 4 kg of gold was allegedly found to have been missing.

The SIT, which had previously arrested five people in connection with two criminal cases registered in connection with the matter, had found that the TDB leadership was allegedly privy to the decision to mark the gold-plated temple items as mere copper plates when they were handed over to Potty, who had earlier worked at the temple as an assistant to priests.

The arrest of Padmakumar is a setback for Kerala’s ruling CPI(M), with the Opposition Congress and BJP having intensified their agitations against the government over the scandal. The arrest of the senior CPI(M) leader from Pathanamthitta also comes amid the campaign for local body elections set to be held next month.

So far, the CPI(M) had tried to play down the scandal as a crime involving the executives of the TDB and Potty. However, the Congress has already intensified its targeting of the CPI(M) following the arrest of former TDB president, A Vasu, last week. Vasu was seen as being closely associated with the CPI(M). He had served as private secretary to CPI(M) veteran P K Gurudasan when the latter was the Excise Minister from 2006 to 2011. Before that, Vasu had served as the president of Kulakkada village panchayat in Kollam.

Last month, the High Court, which had suo motu initiated proceedings in the scandal, directed the SIT to invoke the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Subsequently, the SIT had referred the two cases to the Vigilance Court in Kollam, where Padmakumar will be produced later on Thursday.