Sabarimala Tantri's arrest: CPI (M), Congress react cautiously

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 10 (PTI) The ruling CPI (M) and opposition Congress on Saturday treaded cautiously over the arrest of Sabarimala tantri (chief priest) Kandararu Rajeevaru in the gold loss case and emphasised that everyone is equal before the law.

While senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala called for the law to take its course, CPI (M) leader and law minister P Rajeeve said the government would not remark on the matter, while the Kerala High Court-monitored investigation is going on.

The reactions of the prominent political leaders came a day after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case arrested Kandararu Rajeevaru.

The tantri was arrested for his alleged close links with prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty and for giving "silent permission" to the replating of the Dwarapalaka and Sreekovil gold plates of the Lord Ayyappa temple, outside the premises, official sources said.

The arrest of Tantri Rajeevaru, who held a position of supreme religious and ritualistic authority at the Lord Ayyappa shrine, came as a shock to devotees.

"Tantri was arrested in the case...It's a fact. It's a legal matter. Everyone is equal before the law and no one is above it... Let the law take its course. Let the investigation progress in accordance with that. We hope the SIT will bring out all the accused before law," Chennithala told reporters here.

Without naming anyone, he alleged that ministers and former ministers were involved in the gold loss case and wanted the SIT to nab them also.

Accusing the ruling CPI (M) of "shielding" the party leaders who have been facing allegations in the case, he said Lord Ayyappa will not spare anyone who stole the gold.

Meanwhile, Minister Rajeeve said the SIT is said to be now probing all matters related to the gold loss since the beginning and the High Court is supervising the investigation.

"At this juncture, the government is not making any specific remark about the developments," he said without directly mentioning anything about Tantri's arrest.

State Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan asked the reporters whether it was appropriate for him to make any comment about the investigation while it is progressing under the supervision of the High Court.

"Let the legal matters progress. Tantri Rajeevaru and I hail from the same place. He is close to everyone," Cheriyan said without elaborating.

When his reaction was sought about Tantri's arrest by the SIT, senior CPI (M) leader E P Jayarajan said the investigation is progressing in the right direction and everyone is equal before the law.

Rajeevaru was questioned at an undisclosed location on Friday and later shifted to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) office in the afternoon, where his arrest was formally recorded, sources said.

According to officials, he was arrested based on statements given by Potty, and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar.

The SIT found that Rajeevaru had close associations with Potty and he was aware that replating of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) plates and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) doorframe plates was carried out outside the premises of the hill shrine in 2019, violating ritualistic norms.

He is the 11th person to be arrested in the case after the Kerala High Court constituted the SIT to probe the gold loss incident.

Rajeevaru is from a priestly family, 'Thazhamon Madom' in Chengannur, that guided the rituals of Lord Ayyappa's abode for generations, a lineage revered for its antiquity. The Thazhamon family's roots run deep and are associated with the legend of Lord Parasurama.

Meanwhile, the chief priest was reportedly shifted to a state-run hospital here in the morning as he complained of uneasiness in the prison. PTI LGK ROH