Sabarimala gold heist row: Chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru held; ED commences probe

According to sources, the SIT summoned the Tantri to Thiruvananthapuram, where he is being quizzed.

Thiruvananthapuram:In a major development in the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple gold heist, the temple tantri (traditional head priest) Kandararu Rajeevaru was arrested on Friday. 

The special investigation team (SIT) summoned the thantri to Thiruvananthapuram  and recorded his arrest after quizzing him. He was later produced before a court in Kollam and remanded. Already ten accused in the case were held.

The SIT found that Rajeevaru colluded with the others accused by giving permission to carry out gold plating of the door frames of the sanctum sanctorum and the Dwarapalaka sculptures. Despite knowing that it was a violation of the temple rituals to take the temple objects outside the temple premises, Rajeevaru did not report it or complained against him.

SIT also found that Rajeevaru was having close connections with the key accused Bengaluru-based Malayali Unnikrishnan Potti.Others accused in the case were learnt to have given statements in this regard. 

Rajeevaru, who told reporters that he was innocent, had earlier maintained that he only gave the ritualistic permission for removing the gold platings for repair work, but did not know that it was being taken out of temple premises for the repair. 

Travancore Devaswom Board former chairman A Padmakumar earlier told reporters that a 'god-like person' and a 'vegetarian' was involved in the row. This had triggered speculations that Padmakumar was referring to the tantri. 

Rajeevaru is a senior member of the Thazhamon Madom, which is the family of tantris of Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. The tantric head priest from the family is considered to be the supreme authority in religious matters of the temple and devotees often seek his blessings too.

Incidentally, the tantri's arrest came while the Sabarimala pilgrimage was progressing and just a few days left for the 'Makaravilakku' on January 14. 

ED commences probe 

The Enforcement directorate (ED) has registered an Enforcement case information report (ECIR)  in connection with the alleged money laundering involved in the Sabarimala gold heist.

The ED Kochi unit will be carrying out a probe into the suspected money laundering. All those arraigned as accused by the SIT will come under the ED's probe also.

The SIT had earlier objected to the ED probe into the gold heist citing that it would amount to parallel investigation by two agencies. But the court gave the nod to the ED to conduct a probe into the money laundering angle.