In the Sabarimala gold theft case, the Kollam Vigilance Court on Thursday granted statutory bail to prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a charge sheet within the mandatory 90-day period.
The case relates to the alleged theft of the sanctum sanctorum’s door frames (Kattalappali). With the investigation team unable to submit even an interim charge sheet within the stipulated time, the court observed that the accused was entitled to statutory bail as a matter of right.
Potty, who has been in custody for months, is expected to be released from prison by Thursday evening. Earlier, he had secured bail in the Dwarapalaka statue theft case on January 21 after the statutory period expired. However, his continued detention was required because of the pending remand in the door frame theft case.
Considering the gravity of the offence, the court imposed strict conditions. Potty has been barred from entering Pathanamthitta district, directed to surrender his passport, and restrained from influencing witnesses. He has also been prohibited from leaving the state without permission.
With this, Potty becomes the fourth accused to secure bail in the case, following the release of co-accused Murari Babu, Sreekumar, and Sudheesh Kumar. He was initially taken into custody on October 16, 2025, from his residence in Pulimath, Thiruvananthapuram.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its probe into the financial aspects of the case. Officials from its Kochi and Kozhikode units conducted simultaneous raids on Thursday at the Nedumparambil Credit Syndicate in Thiruvalla and the residence of its owner, N.M. Raju.
The agency is investigating the source of Rs 2.5 crore allegedly deposited in the private financial firm by Sabarimala Tantri Kandararu Rajeevar, who is also an accused in the case. The institution, now defunct following an earlier deposit fraud case, has emerged as a key focus of the probe. The SIT had earlier detected Tantri’s substantial investment in the firm, prompting the ED to examine possible money laundering links.
The financial trail has also sparked political controversy. Senior CPM leader and former Pathanamthitta district secretary K.P. Udayabhanu alleged that Congress MP Anto Antony had received funds from the same institution where Tantri deposited money. He has demanded a comprehensive investigation into the alleged financial links between political leaders and the fraud-accused firm.
Even as the prime accused secured bail, the court extended the remand of Tantri by another 14 days. Tantri, undergoing treatment for age-related ailments, appeared before the court via video conferencing. The court is set to hear detailed arguments on the bail pleas of Tantri and other accused on February 9.
Separately, the High Court has directed the SIT to widen the scope of its probe to examine irregularities at the hill shrine over nearly three decades, from 1998 to 2025. The investigation now covers not only the recent theft but also past irregularities involving the holy flag mast and the Dwarapalaka statues.
While the release of the prime accused has raised concerns over the progress of the case, officials said the probe is at a critical stage, with the ED tracking the money trail and at least five more suspects under scrutiny.
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