Overview
- The SIT arrested D. Sudheesh Kumar, a former Sabarimala executive officer, after hours of questioning in Thiruvananthapuram.
- Investigators allege Kumar recorded gold‑clad Dwarapalaka panels as copper in 2019, enabling removal of the original plating.
- Prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti and former administrative officer B. Murari Babu are already in custody under court remand in related cases.
- The SIT has produced about 608 g of recovered gold in court, with evidence traced to Ballari following searches in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- The Travancore Devaswom Board has handed over 1998–99 cladding records as the court‑mandated probe tracks factory and jeweller links across states.