Gold Vendetta: Kerala Court Denies Bail to Former TDB Chief

A Kerala court refused bail to former TDB president A Padmakumar regarding the gold theft at Sabarimala temple. The court, emphasizing sufficient evidence, denied the bail despite Padmakumar's health-related concerns. Meanwhile, prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty seeks regular bail, challenging statutory detention limits.

A Kerala court has denied bail to former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar in connection with the theft of gold from Lord Ayyappa temple's sanctum sanctorum door frames in Sabarimala.

The Kollam Vigilance Court was convinced by the prosecution's argument that substantial evidence implicated Padmakumar, a former CPI(M) MLA, in the theft. Advocate Siju Rajan stated that Padmakumar's plea, citing advanced age and health issues, was not persuasive enough for the court to grant relief. Earlier, Padmakumar was named an accused by the police in a related case involving missing gold from the Dwarapalaka idols.

In a parallel development, Unnikrishnan Potty, central to the theft cases concerning the Dwarapalaka idols and Sreekovil door frames, has applied for regular bail. Potty's attorney argues that his continued custody violates statutory limits as chargesheets haven't been filed timely. The Kollam court will reconsider Potty's bail on December 18, with the Special Investigation Team's report on the ongoing investigation remaining pivotal.

(With inputs from agencies.)