Kerala vigilance court allows arrest of Sabarimala tantri in Dwarapalaka idols case

Kollam (Kerala), Jan 13 (PTI) A vigilance court here on Tuesday allowed the SIT to arrest Sabarimala chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru in the case related to the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols at the shrine.

The court passed the order on an application filed by the Special Investigation Team through its prosecutor, Siju Rajan.

Rajeevaru was arrested last week in connection with the loss of gold from the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames of the Lord Ayyappa temple.

He is the 11th person to be arrested in the case after the Kerala High Court constituted the SIT to probe the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil door frames of the temple during their replating.

Rajeevaru will be produced in court within 24 hours of his formal arrest, the prosecutor said.

Meanwhile, the court has listed the chief priest’s bail plea for January 19. The SIT is required to submit its report on the plea by then, the prosecutor added.

The court also extended the custody of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar, another accused in the Sabarimala gold loss cases, by 14 days, advocate Rajan said. PTI HMP SSK HMP SSK KH