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Thiruvananthapuram, October 17 (IANS) The investigation into the Sabarimala gold theft case has entered a crucial phase with the arrest of key accused Unnikrishnan Potti.
Potti was arrested on Thursday morning after more than 10 hours of questioning at the crime branch office in the state capital.
His arrest is the first success in the theft of gold from the idols of Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) at Sabarimala and Kattilappadi (threshold) of Srikovil.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has registered two separate cases against Potti, who allegedly smuggled gold from the temple in the guise of a sponsor.
In the two FIRs, the SIT has convicted 10 people, with Potti named in both the FIRs and he is the main accused.
It is estimated that the theft involved 475 grams of gold, worth approximately 56 guineas. Investigators found that only three grams of gold was actually used for the plating, with Potti misusing the rest.
He also allegedly collected money from two persons in Bengaluru for the same purpose.
Now the scope of suspicion has also reached senior officials of Travancore Devaswom Board.
On February 16, 2019, the then Sabarimala executive officer recommended handing over the gold-plated copper sheets of the sanctum sanctorum structure to Potti for re-coating.
However, when the proposal reached the Commissioner, the words were changed to “copper sheets” by removing the reference to gold.
The Commissioner, Executive Officer, Administrative Officer and Assistant Engineer have all been named for serious lapses.
The SIT, led by SP Sasidharan, registered the arrest at around 2.30 am in Thiruvananthapuram and took Potti for medical examination.
He will be produced before the Ranni court in Pathanamthitta later in the day.
Separate FIRs have been lodged for both the thefts, one of which also names the Devaswom Board as the eighth accused.
Corruption charges are contemplated under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The investigators have also uncovered links between Potti and Smart Creations, a private firm allegedly involved in gold plating.
The vigilance report claims that the gold came not from offerings by devotees, but from Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Potti, who has no steady income, is suspected of targeting 2 kg of gold through nine sponsorship transactions.
The SIT is now investigating a larger conspiracy and the involvement of insiders in the temple administration.
–IANS
SG/DPB