'Robbed temple gold disguised as devotee'; SC rejects N Vasu's bail plea

NEW DELHI: ‘They came claiming to be devotees yet robbed the valuables from the temple’, it took barely minutes for the Supreme Court to reject the bail application filed by former Travancore Devaswom president N Vasu in the Sabarimala gold theft case.

Vasu was holding the important post of Devaswom Commissioner during the gold theft. The court asked why the gold frames were being replated. This is the second time in three weeks that a bench comprising Justices Dipankar Dutta and Satish Chandra Sharma criticised the Sabarimala gold theft case. On the 5th, the bench criticised that even God was not spared.

The court clarified its stand by rejecting the petition filed by former Devaswom Board member K.P. Shankaradas to remove the High Court's adverse remarks.

The lawyer appearing for Vasu said that his client was in jail for more than 72 days. He requested the court to consider the health condition of the accused, as he has crossed 75. The lawyer said that Vasu cooperated with the SIT's investigation and was not involved in the conspiracy. The lawyer argued that Vasu had no connection with the gold plating since he never assumed the position of Thiruvabharanam Commissioner.

The Supreme Court rejected all these arguments.

It is alleged that N Vasu, who was the Devaswom Commissioner, instructed to write that the gold plating was copper.