Thiruvananthapuram Oct 30 ( IANS) The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case on Thursday has tightened its probe and taken appropriate action against erring Travancore Devasom Board officials who fail to listen to their directive.
This decision was arrived at on a day when the prime accused in the two FIRs that the Kerala High Court constituted SIT – Unnikrishnan Potti’s police custody of 14 days ended, and he was remanded to judicial custody.
Potti, who was in SIT custody for interrogation, was produced before the court and remanded to the Thiruvananthapuram Special Sub-Jail.
His counsel informed the court that he suffered from epilepsy and that jail detention would cause health difficulties.
However, the prosecution assured that all necessary medical facilities were available in prison.
Meanwhile, the SIT informed the court that Potti’s arrest in the second case — related to the theft of gold plating from the Sreekovil’s Kattilappali panels — will be officially recorded on Friday.
He will be produced before the Ranni court on November 3 for custodial interrogation.
The team has already filed a request to take him into custody in the second case.
The SIT has also arrested the second accused, Murari Babu, in both theft cases.
Investigators conducted a joint interrogation of the two, focusing on the alleged conspiracy to falsely record the gold-plated panels as copper during temple maintenance works.
Searches carried out earlier in Bengaluru and Chennai had led to the recovery of gold that matched the quantity and purity of the stolen Sabarimala gold.
Recently, the SIT produced 608 grams of recovered gold before the Ranni court as part of evidence collection.
The probe team has also toughened its stance against certain Devasom officials for failing to furnish the required documents.
The SIT warned that legal action would be initiated against officials withholding records related to the 1999 gold-plating work.
Investigators said renovation and maintenance records of the temple are crucial for tracing the trail of the stolen gold, and that further delay would not be tolerated.
--IANS
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