Sabarimala gold theft: SIT search continues, goldsmith also at Tantri's house

CHENGANNUR: SIT inspection progressing in the Chengannur house of Sabarimala Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, who was arrested in the Sabarimala gold robbery case. The inspection is being led by DySP Suresh Babu's team. The aim is to find more documents and evidence related to the case. The goldsmith is also being brought to the Tantri's house for inspection.

Although there were indications that a search would be conducted at Tantri's house after his arrest, the police team arrived after noon. The SIT arrived, accompanied by the Chengannur police. When the search began, the relatives who were in the house were moved out.

In the initial phase of the search, the police were not ready to allow the Tantri's daughter-in-law, who is a lawyer, inside. This led to a minor argument, but later the daughter-in-law was allowed inside. The search has been going on for more than two hours now.

The SIT has found that Tantri opened the door for Potty, the accused in the gold theft case, to enter Sabarimala. The police have taken strict action, including arrest, based on the conclusion that Tantri was clearly involved in the conspiracy. The police said that crucial information in the case will be released only after the investigation is completed.

Tantri was arrested in the case of looting the doorframe panels and the Prabhamandalam of the shrine. Kandararu Rajeevaru is the 13th accused in the case. Rajeevaru, from the Chengannur Thazhamon family, which has traditionally received the Sabarimala Tantric rights, was the Tantri in 1998-99 when Vijay Mallya sponsored gold-plating and in 2019 when the gold-platings were looted.