In a significant escalation of the high-profile Sabarimala gold theft investigation, former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar has been named as an accused in a second, separate case connected to the 2019 heist. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has implicated the CPM Pathanamthitta district committee member in a case concerning the theft of gold layers from the sacred dwarapalaka sculptures at the hill shrine.
Fresh Charges and Arrest Recorded
The development marks a serious turn in the legal troubles for Padmakumar. His arrest was formally recorded in this new case while he was already in judicial custody. Previously, he was arrested for his alleged role in handing over gold-clad plates for maintenance to Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the broader scandal. The SIT recorded his arrest in the second case directly at the jail where he is currently held.
The core of the new allegation revolves around a crucial finding by the SIT. Investigators discovered that layers of gold stripped from the dwarapalaka sculptures were deliberately recorded as copper in official documents, a move allegedly intended to benefit the main accused, Potti. The SIT submitted this damning report to the court on Thursday, coinciding with the extension of Padmakumar's remand period.
Legal Strategy and Extended Remand
Following the new charges, the Kollam vigilance court extended Padmakumar's judicial remand by an additional 14 days. His bail plea hearing, initially scheduled, has now been postponed to December 8. Legal experts suggest his bail prospects have dimmed considerably with the filing of the second case, and the prosecution is expected to strongly oppose any relief, citing the fresh accusations.
In his bail application, Padmakumar has adopted a strategy of seeking to implicate other TDB members. The former MLA argues that the decision to record the valuable material as copper was not his alone but was taken with the full knowledge and consent of the board members. He has expressed frustration at being singled out, contending that if there was any administrative failure, liability should be shared collectively, and he should not be the only one facing prosecution.
Other Accused Face Setbacks
The legal net is also tightening around other officials involved. In a related development, a single bench of the Kerala High Court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of former administrative officer S Sreekumar, the sixth accused in the gold theft case. Sreekumar was the official who signed the 2019 order authorizing the handover of the plates to Potti for repairs.
The investigation team successfully argued that granting bail to Sreekumar at this stage would hamper the probe, as his detailed questioning is considered crucial. Similarly, the High Court also rejected the anticipatory bail plea of former devaswom secretary Jayashree, another accused in the multi-crore theft case. These rejections indicate the court's inclination to allow the SIT a free hand to complete its investigation without obstruction.
With the second case now registered against him, A Padmakumar's legal battles are poised to become more complex and prolonged. His arguments in the upcoming bail hearing, seeking to distribute blame among the broader TDB leadership, will be a critical test of his defense strategy as the SIT continues to unravel the layers of the Sabarimala gold scandal.
