Sabarimala gold row: SIT to take prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti to other states for evidence collection

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case will take Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the case, to Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru this week as part of evidence collection. Potti, who is in SIT custody, had revealed that the gold plates from the dwarapalaka idols and the door frames were taken to these cities under the garb of maintenance and electroplating. The gold was removed from the sheets in a Chennai-based firm and to cover it up, 394g of gold was plated on it. During questioning, Potti is learnt to have tried to shift the blame onto others, including Devaswom Board members and staff, for the missing gold from the artefacts of the shrine. The SIT, in its remand report, had alleged that Potti swindled gold weighing about 2kg from the artefacts after taking them to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Sources said the SIT will also record the statements of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) presidents A Padmakumar and N Vasu and staff, including suspended devaswom official Murari Babu, this week. The SIT has already collected details regarding the alleged involvement of Babu and other staff in the case, and they are likely to be arrested this week. Meanwhile, the cops are also scrutinising the documents including those related to property sale that were retrieved from the ancestral home of Potti on Saturday, in the hope that it could shed light on the financial dealings involving the prime accused. So far, only one person has been arrested in connection with the case. Sabarimala gold row: Accused misappropriated 2 kilograms from deity idols, claims SIT report