A. Padmakumar | Photo credit: Venkatesan R 5375
A vigilance court in Kollam on Friday rejected the bail plea filed by former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A. Padmakumar, who is under arrest for his alleged role in the Sabarimala gold embezzlement case.
The court accepted the prosecution’s argument that there was sufficient evidence to prove the CPI(M) leader’s role in the alleged gold theft. The prosecution also said that granting him bail during the investigation could jeopardize its progress and could also allow him to destroy evidence or influence witnesses in the case.
Mr. Padmakumar alleged that the decision to hand over the gold-plated copper plates covering the door frames of the Sreekovil in Sannidhanam to Unnikrishnan Potti, the main accused, was a collective decision taken by the TDB. He also accused the special investigation team probing the case of focusing only on him while sparing others who were active members in the decision-making process. In addition, he sought bail on other grounds, including age-related ailments.
However, the court rejected such arguments to deny him relief.
Published – 12 Dec 2025 14:59 IST
