Sabarimala gold theft: N Vasu remanded, more high-profile arrests expected

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/ PATHANAMTHITTA: The arrest of N. Vasu, former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board and twice Devaswom Commissioner, has become a major turning point in the Sabarimala gold theft case. The High Court has directed that the conspiracy behind the gold theft must also be investigated. Vasu is the third accused in the case involving the theft of gold sheets used on the door frame of the Sreekovil in Sabarimala temple. He was arrested after a second round of questioning at the Crime Branch office in Eanchakkal. Later, at 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday, he was produced before the Pathanamthitta Judicial First Class Magistrate Court and was remanded. He was then shifted to the Kottarakkara sub-jail.

Although Vasu initially avoided appearing before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), citing ill health, he was compelled to appear. The arrest came only after investigators gathered maximum evidence regarding his role. A letter dated February 16, 2019, sent by the Executive Officer to the Board, said that the door frame to be handed over to Unnikrishnan Potty was covered with gold sheets. This was later altered to say copper sheets. This alteration has now turned crucial against Vasu.

According to the SIT, Vasu played a key role in the conspiracy to hand over the gold-covered sheets to Potty as copper. The Board decided to hand over the sheets based on Vasu’s recommendation. The Board meeting on March 19, 2019, approved the letter given by Vasu on February 26. Based on the subsequent order issued by Devaswom Secretary S. Jayasree, the gold sheets were taken from the temple. Investigators found that it was Vasu-then Devaswom Commissioner- who first recorded the gold sheets as copper in documents placed before the Board. A similar fraud was later repeated in the case of the dwarapalaka idol panels.

Email turns into key evidence
An email sent by Unnikrishnan Potty to Vasu on December 9, 2019, also became crucial evidence. In the email, Potty sought permission to use the leftover gold for the wedding of a "deserving girl." Vasu forwarded this email for further action without raising any questions. The SIT rejected Vasu’s explanation that Potty had written only for guidance and that he did not know it concerned temple gold.

Vasu’s statement claimed that the Potty was responsible for the gold plating as per agreement with the Board, and that he assumed the email was simply asking what to do with the excess gold. He said he printed the email, wrote “seek opinion of the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner and Sabarimala Executive Officer” on it, and returned it. He claimed he did not know what happened afterwards. The SIT has dismissed this as false.

'Vasu changed gold to copper'
According to the remand report, Vasu, who was then Devaswom Commissioner, changed the gold-covered panels to copper in official records. He also intervened to hand over the gold-covered panels to the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potty. Vasu, the third accused, has been charged with conspiracy and forging documents.

Meanwhile, Vasu remained expressionless in court after being remanded. When the court informed him of the remand decision, he simply bowed his head. Police escorted him out to take him to Kottarakkara jail. When the media asked if he had anything to say, he replied that he had nothing to comment.