Kollam, 04 March (H.S.):CPI(M) leader and former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, A. Padmakumar, who has been in judicial custody in connection with the alleged Sabarimala gold theft case, is expected to be released from jail today after the Kollam Vigilance Court granted him statutory bail on Wednesday.
The court allowed Padmakumar’s bail plea after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a chargesheet within the legally mandated period. Under criminal procedure provisions, an accused becomes eligible for statutory bail if the investigating agency does not submit the chargesheet within 90 days of remand in serious offences.
Padmakumar had approached the court seeking statutory bail in connection with the alleged theft of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols at the Sabarimala temple. His petition was filed after he completed 90 days in judicial custody in the case.
Earlier, Padmakumar had also secured statutory bail in another related case involving the alleged misappropriation of gold from the temple’s door frames. That case was the first in which he had been arrested as part of the broader investigation into alleged irregularities in handling temple gold ornaments and materials.
The alleged thefts relate to gold components attached to temple structures and idols at Sabarimala, one of the most revered pilgrimage centres in Kerala. The cases were registered following allegations of irregularities and suspected misappropriation of gold during renovation and maintenance works at the temple.
Investigations in the case have been carried out by a Special Investigation Team constituted to probe the allegations. However, the SIT’s failure to submit the chargesheet within the stipulated timeframe paved the way for Padmakumar’s release on statutory bail.
Several other accused persons in the case have already secured bail from the court. Seven individuals connected with the investigation have been released so far. Among them, five were granted statutory bail after the investigation agency failed to file the chargesheet within the deadline.
Those who secured statutory bail include the first accused Unnikrishnan Potti, former administrative officer Murari Babu, former executive officer D. Sudheesh Kumar, former president and commissioner N. Vasu, and former executive officer S. Sreekumar.
In addition, Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru and K. S. Baiju were granted regular bail by the court earlier.
With Padmakumar also obtaining statutory bail, most of the key accused in the case are now out on bail while the investigation continues. Authorities have indicated that further legal proceedings will depend on the completion of the chargesheet and the progress of the ongoing probe.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
