SIT team reaches hospital: Former Devaswom Board member KP Shankaradas arrested in gold theft case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Special Tahsildar Shankardas, an accused in the Sabarimala gold robbery case, has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The investigation team recorded the arrest of Shankardas, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, after visiting the hospital. SP Sasidharan reached the hospital to record the arrest.

The Kollam court was informed about the arrest and then the magistrate went directly to the hospital to complete the further procedures as Shankaradas has been in the ICU for the past few days. The remand report will be submitted to the Kollam court tomorrow. Shankaradas has been shifted from the ICU to a room, but he will continue to be in the hospital. This arrest is being considered as a decisive move in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Shankaradas is the 11th accused in the case.

The court had postponed the consideration of the anticipatory bail application filed by Shankaradas to Friday. The consideration of the anticipatory bail application was postponed after the investigation team did not submit Shankaradas' medical records to the Kollam Principal Sessions Court. Shankaradas sought anticipatory bail citing health problems. The prosecution had requested the court to provide time to submit the hospital records. Following this, the consideration of the anticipatory bail application was postponed.

The High Court had severely criticised the SIT for the delay in arresting Shankaradas. Justice A Badaruddin got angry and asked what nonsense, saying a person lying in the hospital since the day he was arraigned. The court also criticised the actions of the investigating officer, asking whether Shankaradash's arrest was delayed because his son is an SP.