SIT with pivotal move in Sabarimala gold theft case, former president of devaswom board N Vasu questioned

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special investigation team (SIT) grilled former Travancore Devaswom Board president N Vasu in the Sabarimala gold theft case. SP S Sasidharan recorded Vasu’s statement. This was after the arrest of former executive officer Sudheesh Kumar, who was personal assistant of Vasu. This hints that the investigation is extending to the top brass of the board in addition to the officials.

The court has remanded Sudheesh Kumar. The SIT is likely to question former top officials of the based on his statement. Vasu was questioned in between this. Former devaswom board secretary S Jayashree and former Thiruvabharanam Commissioner K S Baiju will also be questioned. There are chances to arrest them after this.

It was Jayashree who ordered to handover the gold-plated sheets of Dwarapalaka idols to Unnikrishnan Potty, bypassing the board's decision in 2019. She retired in 2020. Former Thiruvabharanam Commissioner K S Baiju did not monitor when the gold plates sheets were removed.

Assistant engineer K Sunil Kumar, administrative officer S Sreekumar, another former Thiruvabharanam commissioner R G Radhakrishnan, who went to Smart Creations in Chennai and did not check the weight of the sheets with the Mahasar, former executive officer V S Rajendra Prasad, who prepared the wrong Mahasar, and former administrative officer K Rajendran Nair will also be questioned. The move is to question them individually first and then together.