The Kerala High Court has reserved its orders on the pre-arrest bail petitions filed by two former officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in connection with the high-profile Sabarimala gold theft case that has shocked devotees across the country.
Court Proceedings and Interim Protection
A bench of Justice A Badharudeen on Friday completed the hearing and adjourned the petitions for orders. The hearing proceeded in camera following a specific request made by the petitioners seeking confidentiality in the legal proceedings.
The court explicitly directed that the interim orders restraining the investigating agency from arresting the petitioners shall remain in force until the final orders are pronounced. This provides temporary relief to the former officials while the court deliberates on their bail applications.
Allegations in the Gold Theft Case
According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered in the case, the first accused Unnikrishnan Potti allegedly misappropriated gold from several sacred structures within the Sabarimala temple complex. The stolen gold reportedly came from the covering plates of the dwarapalaka idols, side frames, and the lintel of the Sabarimala sreekovil.
The FIR specifically alleges that the theft occurred with the connivance of certain devaswom officials, including the two petitioners now seeking pre-arrest bail. The documents claim that S Jayasree, identified as the fourth accused in the case, while serving as TDB secretary in 2019, issued official orders to hand over valuable materials to Potti.
These materials included the gold-clad copper plates of the dwarapalaka idols, which allegedly facilitated the theft. S Sreekumar, the sixth accused in the case, was serving as the devaswom administrative officer during the relevant period when these transactions occurred.
Defense Arguments and Counter Claims
Both petitioners have strongly denied all allegations against them in their bail petitions. They have contended that they acted solely based on decisions taken by the board collectively in handing over the temple valuables to Potti.
The former officials maintain that they were following established procedures and board resolutions rather than acting independently or with malicious intent. Their legal defense emphasizes that they were implementing organizational decisions rather than personal initiatives that could constitute criminal misconduct.
The court's upcoming order will be crucial in determining whether the investigating agency can proceed with arrests or if the officials will receive pre-arrest bail in this sensitive case involving the sanctity of one of Kerala's most prominent pilgrimage destinations.
