The Kerala High Court has sought the state government's response on a bail petition filed by A Padmakumar, the former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). He is accused in a high-profile case involving the alleged misappropriation of gold from the sacred Sabarimala temple.
Court Adjourns Hearing to January 12
On Friday, a bench led by Justice C Pratheep Kumar considered the plea and directed the state to provide its instructions on the matter. The court has postponed the hearing to January 12, 2024. Notably, another bail petition filed by Padmakumar in a connected case will also be taken up on the same date.
Details of the Allegations
The prosecution's case centers on events during Padmakumar's tenure as the TDB's administrative head, from November 15, 2017, to November 14, 2019. He is alleged to have been part of a criminal conspiracy to illegally remove gold from the temple's sanctum sanctorum.
The specific allegations in this petition involve the theft of gold from the gold-clad copper plates covering the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols flanking the sreekovil (main shrine). The case also mentions the misappropriation of gold from the pillars on the northern and southern sides of the sreekovil.
Investigators claim that Padmakumar, leveraging his official position, facilitated the illegal entrustment of these sacred artefacts to one Unnikrishnan Potti. The items were allegedly sent to Chennai for re-plating work, an act said to be in direct violation of the rules prescribed in the devaswom manual.
Legal Journey and Next Steps
This move to the High Court comes after the Vigilance Special Court in Kollam rejected his bail application on Thursday. The rejection prompted his legal team to approach the higher judiciary for relief.
This case is one of two registered in connection with the sensational Sabarimala gold heist. The second case, which will also be heard on January 12, involves allegations of gold misappropriation from the sreekovil's door frames.
The developments highlight the ongoing legal scrutiny into the management and security of offerings at one of India's most prominent pilgrimage sites. The court's decision on the bail pleas next month will be a significant step in this closely watched case.
