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SIT Arrests Former Sabarimala Executive Officer in Temple Gold Probe

Investigators are examining allegations that temple officials misclassified gold‑plated artefacts as copper to enable their removal.

Overview

  • Former executive officer D. Sudheesh Kumar was arrested after questioning and is accused of recording gold‑plated idols and door frames as copper in 2019.
  • Prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti and former administrative officer B. Murari Babu were remanded to judicial custody after the SIT’s interrogation and evidence‑tracing trips.
  • The SIT produced 608 grams of recovered gold in the Ranni court that it says was traced to Ballari, following Potti’s statement about a sale to a local jeweller.
  • Investigators escorted Potti to Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, inspected a metalworks facility and jeweller premises, and have not yet named those proprietors as accused.
  • The Kerala High Court‑directed team is expanding its inquiry within the Travancore Devaswom Board, has warned non‑cooperative officials, and has received 1998–99 cladding records from the board.