Court grants bail to eighth accused Padmakumar in Sabarimala gold theft case 

KOLLAM: The Kollam Vigilance Court has granted bail to A Padmakumar, former president of the devaswom board and CPM Pathanamthitta district committee member, in the Sabarimala gold theft case. He was granted statutory bail in the Dwarapalaka idol case. He was earlier granted bail in the door frames case. Padmakumar will be released from jail today. He is the eighth accused to be released in the Sabarimala gold theft case. The court granted statutory bail to five including the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potty. Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru and former administrative officer S Sreekumar were granted bail after the remand period expired.

The special investigation team arrested A Padmakumar in the Sabarimala gold theft case on November 20, 2025. He was first arrested in the door frames case. While he was on remand in the case, the investigation team arrested him in the Dwarpalaka idol case on December 4. Padmakumar, who completed 90 days of remand in the door frame case after failing to file a chargesheet, was granted conditional bail on February 20. A statutory bail plea was filed after the 90-day remand in the Dwarpalaka idol case was completed.

The plea was adjourned for order after hearing the arguments in detail the other day. Meantime, the vigilance court will hear the application filed by Pankaj Bhandari, the owner of Smart Creations, remanded in the case, seeking treatment at a private hospital in Chennai, tomorrow.