Former Thiruvabharanam commissioner arrested in Sabarimala gold theft case

Thiruvananthapuram | The SIT probing the loss of gold from the Sabarimala temple on Thursday arrested former Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornament) commissioner K S Baiju, officials said.

Baiju, who is currently retired from service, was serving as Thiruvabharanam Commissioner when the gold-plated coverings of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols were removed and taken for electroplating in July 2019.

According to sources, Baiju was on leave on July 19 and 20, when the Dwarapalaka idols were removed from Sabarimala and handed over to the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, who had sponsored the electroplating work.

Police said the Special Investigation Team suspects that Baiju’s absence on those crucial days was part of a conspiracy.

The SIT maintains that Baiju’s failure to oversee the process allegedly led to procedural lapses, resulting in the subsequent loss of gold.

Baiju, named the seventh accused in the case, appeared before the Crime Branch office in Thiruvananthapuram for questioning on Thursday afternoon following a summons, an official said.

After interrogation, the SIT recorded his arrest in the evening, sources said.

He will be produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Ranni in Pathanamthitta district on Friday.

Baiju is the third Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) official to be arrested in the case, after Murari Babu and Sudheesh Kumar.

The Ranni court will also consider the SIT’s plea seeking custody of Babu and Kumar on Friday.

The prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, is currently in SIT custody.

The SIT is investigating two related cases concerning the loss of gold — one from the Dwarapalaka idols and another from the door frame of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum), officials added.