- Photo: ANI file
NEW DELHI: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case has stated in its remand report that the accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, has stolen around two kilogrammes of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols of the temple with the help of Devaswom officials.
The report said there was a planned attempt to steal the gold from the vaults and that Potty intervened to make unjust profits for the accused two to ten.
Unnikrishnan Potty has given a statement to the investigation team implicating the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials in the case.
The report states that the officials tried to extort gold by using Potty as a pawn.
The report also states that Potty conspired with the accused, including Murari Babu and Sudheesh Kumar, both Devaswom Board officials.
The investigation team suspects that the gold heist was the brainchild of the Devaswom Board officials, including the accused Murari Babu.
Unnikrishnan Potty has been under suspicion since the gold plating controversy broke out. He said his hands were clean at the time, but later revealed the conspiracy before the SIT.
Unnikrishnan Potty, who was remanded in custody of the investigation team for 14 days, will be taken to Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad to collect evidence.
In the morning, the SIT arrested Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in two cases registered in connection with the missing gold from temple artifacts.
He was taken into custody from his residence near Kilimanoor on Thursday morning and questioned for 11 hours by Crime Branch SP Bijoy P. - The Statesman/ANN
