Accused in Dwarapalaka sculpture case also; more charges against Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru in Sabarimala case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: More cases will be registered against Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, who was arrested in the Sabarimala gold robbery. It is reported that he will also be an accused in the Dwarapalaka sculpture case. The tantri is also involved in this conspiracy.

Tantri was arrested in the case of looting the doorframe panels and the Prabhamandalam of the shrine. Kandararu Rajeevaru is the 13th accused in the case. Rajeevaru, from the Chengannur Thazhamon family, which has traditionally received the Sabarimala Tantric rights, was the Tantri in 1998-99 when Vijay Mallya sponsored gold-plating and in 2019 when the gold-platings were looted.

The SIT arrested Kandararu Rajeevaru after finding that he was involved in the conspiracy by abetting the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, and giving tacit approval for the gold theft. The arrest was made after questioning him for about six hours under the leadership of Crime Branch Chief H Venkatesh. Sections 403, 406, 409, 466, 467, 120(B), 34 and 13(1) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act were imposed.

The doorframe panels and the Prabhamandalam were removed and handed over to Potty during the period from May 14 to May 19, 2019, when Kandararu Rajeevaru was at the Sannidhanam. The Tantri performed pujas in the sanctum sanctorum on May 19, when only stone pillars were present where the doorframe panels and the Prabhamandalam were present earlier. The SIT found that the Tantri had clear knowledge of the shifting of the plates because of this. If the panels of the doorframe and the Prabhamandalam were shifted without the permission of the Tantri, he should have informed the board in writing. The SIT found that he did not do so.