In a significant development in the Sabarimala temple gold loss investigation, the chief priest of the Lord Ayyappa shrine, Kandararu Rajeevaru, was taken into custody on Friday. The arrest was made by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that is probing the alleged misappropriation of gold used for replating works at the renowned pilgrimage site.
The Arrest and Questioning Process
The chief priest was initially questioned at an undisclosed location in the morning. Following this preliminary interrogation, he was moved to the SIT office in the afternoon, where his arrest was formally recorded. Officials confirmed that this action was based on crucial statements provided by the prime accused in the case, Unnikrishnan Potty, and the former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), Padmakumar. Their testimonies reportedly linked Rajeevaru directly to the alleged wrongdoing.
Key Allegations and the Priest's Role
Investigators revealed that Rajeevaru maintained a close association with prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty. The SIT probe discovered that the chief priest had recommended the replating of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) plates and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) doorframe plates at the temple. Subsequently, when the Travancore Devaswom Board, which administers the temple, sought his official permission to carry out this replating work, he granted the necessary approval. This sequence of events forms a core part of the allegations against him.
Widening Net of the Investigation
This is not the first time Rajeevaru has faced questioning by the SIT; he had been interrogated previously as the investigation progressed. With this arrest, Kandararu Rajeevaru becomes the 11th individual to be taken into custody in connection with the high-profile case. The SIT was constituted by the Kerala High Court specifically to investigate the incident involving the loss of gold from the temple. The arrest of such a senior temple functionary marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing probe, indicating the investigation's reach into the highest levels of the temple's administration.
The case continues to unfold as the SIT pieces together the chain of events and responsibilities surrounding the alleged gold loss at one of Kerala's most sacred and visited temples.
