Setback for Padmakumar again; arraigned in gold plated sheets of Dwarapalaka idols case in Sabarimala, report produced in court

KOLLAM: A Padmakumar, former Devaswom Board president, arrested in the Sabarimala gold theft case, has been arraigned in the gold plated sheets of Dwarapalaka idols case. The report submitted at the Kollam Vigilance Court today by the special investigation team contains crucial information. Padmakumar was initially made an accused in the door frame smuggling case. Padmakumar was produced in the court today in connection with the extension of his remand period.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) took Padmakumar into custody on November 20 in the gold-plated sheets case. Padmakumar is the sixth and the second board president to be arrested in the case. Unnikrishnan Potty, former Devaswom Board administrative officer Murari Babu, former executive officer D Sudheesh Kumar, former Thiruvabharanam commissioner K S Baiju, and former Devaswom commissioner and board president N Vasu are the others arrested.

The SIT has found that it was Padmakumar who first directed the Devaswom Board to hand over the sheets to Unnikrishnan Potty. Devaswom Board officials have stated that Padmakumar gave instructions in favor of Potty. It has also been proven that it was Padmakumar who gave complete freedom to Unnikrishnan Potty in Sabarimala. Padmakumar is the eighth accused in the case.

Meantime, the anticipatory bail plea of former administrative officer Sreekumar in the gold theft case was rejected. The bail plea was rejected by a single bench of the high court. S Sreekumar is the sixth accused in the case.