Sabarimala Gold Theft Case: SIT Arrests Prime Accused Unnikrishnan Potti.
In a significant development, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Kerala High Court arrested Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, early Friday.
Potti, a Bengaluru-based businessman, was taken into custody from his residence near Thiruvananthapuram after a nearly 12-hour interrogation at the Crime Branch office on Thursday, sources told PTI.
He was sent to Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital for a medical examination and will be shifted to Pathanamthitta before being produced in the Ranni court later in the day.
Investigation Focus
- The SIT, constituted by the Kerala High Court, is probing two cases:
- Missing gold from the Dwarapalaka idols
- Loss of gold from the Sreekovil door frames
Officials are also investigating the role of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) members and officials, who allegedly handed over gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil doors to Potti for electroplating in 2019.
What Potti Revealed
Potti admitted that the plates were removed on July 19, 2019, moved to a friend’s house in Bengaluru, and later to Hyderabad before being sent to Smart Creations for gold plating on August 29, 2019.
He reportedly claimed the gold theft was planned and suggested TDB officials were aware of the conspiracy, adding that the stolen gold was shared among TDB members.
A middleman named Kalpesh has also been identified as a key figure in the scheme, and the SIT is probing the involvement of Smart Creations and temple doorkeepers.
Political Reactions
BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar demanded the resignation of State Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, calling for a CBI and ED investigation into the Sabarimala gold scam. On X, he said:
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