A court here on Monday granted statutory bail to former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) executive director D. Sudheesh Kumar in two cases related to the loss of gold from the Sabarimala temple.
Kollam Vigilance Court Judge Mohit CS granted bail to Mr Kumar after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the cases failed to file a charge sheet within 90 days of his arrest.
The cases relate to the alleged loss of gold from the slabs of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and from the gold inlay on the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).
Mr. Kumar is the third accused in the Dwarapalaka gold loss case and the fifth accused in the Sreekovil door frame case. The court imposed conditions including executing bail with two solvency sureties for ₹2,000 each, refraining from influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence and appearing before the investigating officer whenever summoned.
Mr. Kumar was arrested for his alleged role in a conspiracy involving the removal and manipulation of gold.
The court also took up the bail plea filed by prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti and decided to hear it on Wednesday. Mr. Potti, who was earlier granted statutory bail in a case related to the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka idol plates, has now approached the Kollam Vigilance Court seeking similar relief in a second case related to the loss of gold from the Sreekovil door frame.
Meanwhile, Sabarimala tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru underwent an angiogram test at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital on Monday. Mr. Rajeevaru, who is lodged in the Thiruvananthapuram Special Remand Prison, was taken to the hospital after he developed chest discomfort on Sunday. The SIT said it was awaiting the hospital’s report on the tantri’s health condition.
Mr. Rajeevaru is the 16th accused in the case related to the loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka idol plates and the 13th accused in the case related to the loss of gold from the Sreekovil door frame.
Published – 02 Feb 2026 21:11 IST