Sabarimala gold theft: Padma Kumar’s passport confiscated, probe on foreign trips

PATHANAMTHITTA: The special investigation team (SIT) confiscated the passport of former devaswom president A Padma Kumar arrested in the Sabarimala gold theft. The SIT is planning to investigate his foreign trips. The purpose of the trip and the meetings will be investigated.

The raid conducted by SIT at Padma Kumar's house yesterday seized documents of financial transactions. These are documents related to financial transactions between the first accused Unnikrishnan Potty and Padma Kumar. The SIT has reportedly found documents of transactions by the government, the devaswom board and Unnikrishnan Potty. Padma Kumar's income tax returns from 2016 have also been obtained. The raid, which began at 12 noon on Friday, ended around midnight.

His relatives told SIT that Unnikrishnan Potty has visited the house. The explanation is that it was a friendly visit. Board members K P Sankaradas and Vijayakumar said that they were not aware of Padma Kumar changing as copper instead of gold. Padma Kumar's statement is that all decisions were taken with the knowledge of the board members. With this, the members are also in a dilemma. The SIT will get the custody of Padma Kumar tomorrow.

Meantime, the next phase of SIT's investigation in Sabarimala gold theft will be on the irregularities of 2025 and the governing body. It is reported that evidence has been found that implicates the outgoing devaswom president P S Prashanth and the present Thiruvabharanam Commissioner R Rejilal. In order to cover up the 2019 gold theft, there was a secret move in the Travancore Devaswom Board to hand over this year's maintenance to the first accused Unnikrishnan Potty. The high court has directed that an investigation be conducted into the conspiracy and it should reach the bigwigs.