Ex-Sabarimala Officer Arrested for Falsifying Records in Gold Theft Scandal

Pathanamthitta: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the high-profile Sabarimala gold theft case apprehended former Travancore Devaswom Board executive officer Sudheesh Kumar following intensive interrogation.

Investigators established that Sudheesh deliberately misrepresented gold-plated coverings on temple gatekeeper idols as “copper layers” in official records, despite full awareness of their actual composition.

Also Read: Israel's Top Military Lawyer Resigns After Admitting to Leaking Video of Alleged Detainee Abuse

This falsification, the SIT determined, enabled prime suspect Unnikrishnan Potti to execute the theft by altering the mahasar (official log).

Serving as Sabarimala’s executive officer in 2019, Sudheesh green-lit Potti’s sponsorship and urged the Devaswom Board to approve the donation, falsely claiming the material was copper. Even after the idols were tampered with, he persisted in documenting them as copper.

Also Read: Meghalaya: 250 CCTV Cameras in Shillong to Go Live by November-End, says CM Conrad Sangma

Evidence unearthed by the SIT revealed that although Potti never supplied the gold sheets, Sudheesh fraudulently entered his name in the registry. The probe also implicated Sudheesh in aiding co-accused Murari Babu in the pilferage.

The SIT will present Sudheesh before the Ranni court and is expected to request an extended custodial interrogation to deepen the investigation.