'Built luxurious house in same year of gold theft'; Vigilance investigation likely into Murari Babu's assets

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance may investigate the assets of Murari Babu, the former administrative officer of the Devaswom Board, who was arrested in the Sabarimala gold theft case. Murari was born in an ordinary family. His father had a small shop in Perunna, Changanassery.

However, his fortunes skyrocketed after he entered into job in the Devaswom Board. The vigilance will investigate whether someone could amass this much wealth by working in the Devaswom Board. The special team investigating the gold theft case will hand over the asset details to the Vigilance.

Murari Babu quit his police job to become an employee of the Travancore Devaswom Board. Murari got into the police force in 1994. He trained as a constable in Kannur but did not complete it. Murari became an employee of the Devaswom Board in 1997. He started as an assistant to a high-ranking official on the board. Later, he was given a permanent appointment as a clerk at the Ettumanoor temple. He worked as a 'special officer' for the Vaikom, Ettumanoor and Thirunakkara festivals. It was later discovered that irregularities had been committed in contracting elephants for the festivals at all three temples.

In 2019, Murari completed the construction of his luxurious house. The building was completed in a year and a half. The gold looting in Sabarimala also took place during this period. Murari Babu was the first to prepare the document stating that the gold plating was copper. In his statement to investigating officers, Murari said that his signature alone was getting discussed, but not the role of Devaswom Board President and the Devaswom Commissioner.