Sabarimala gold theft: Chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru gets bail

Sabarimala's chief priest, Kandararu Rajeevaru, accused in the temple gold theft case, was released from prison after 41 days on bail. He was arrested on charges including criminal breach of trust, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

Accused Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru on Wednesday walked out of the Poojappura Central Prison after securing bail from the Kollam Vigilance Court in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case. Rajeevaru was released after completing 41 days in judicial remand. The court granted him bail in cases alleging misappropriation of gold from the temple's Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) sculptures and the Kattilappaali (door frame).

Charges Against Rajeevaru

On January 9, Rajeevar, the Chief priest (Tantri) of Sabarimala, was arrested by the Crime Branch in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case. He was questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the Kerala police said. The arrest was made after multiple charges, including criminal breach of trust, forgery, criminal conspiracy, and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, were levelled against him. According to the arrest notice issued under Section 48 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the case pertains to alleged irregularities in the removal and handling of gold-plated copper panels and ornamental structures fixed on the sanctum sanctorum door of the Sabarimala temple.

Another Accused Granted Bail

Earlier, on January 23, the Kollam Vigilance Court granted statutory bail to former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) administrative officer Murari Babu in two cases related to the alleged gold loss at the Sabarimala temple. The court granted bail after 90 days had elapsed since his arrest, and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file charge sheets within the stipulated period.

Murari Babu is the second accused in the case concerning the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idol plates, and the sixth accused in the case related to the alleged loss of gold from the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) doorframes. He is currently lodged at the Special Sub Jail in Thiruvananthapuram and is expected to be released by Friday evening. Murari Babu was arrested in October last year on charges of conspiracy, after allegedly forwarding a proposal to electroplate the Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil doorframes to the TDB, as suggested by the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti.

Background of the Controversy

The controversy centres on alleged irregularities in the gold plating work carried out at the Sabarimala temple. The issue stems from a 1998 donation of 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper by industrialist Vijay Mallya, intended for the cladding of the sanctum sanctorum and the wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.

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