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In a major breakthrough in the long-running Sabarimala gold theft case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday arrested N. Vijayakumar, a former member of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), officials said. The arrest marks a significant escalation in the probe, which has now firmly turned towards administrative decisions taken at the temple board level during the period under investigation.
Vijayakumar was taken into custody after he allegedly failed to comply with a notice issued by the SIT directing him to appear for questioning. Investigators said the arrest was necessary to examine the chain of responsibility behind the alleged misappropriation of gold and gold-coated artefacts from the revered Sabarimala Temple.
According to officials, Vijayakumar served on the Travancore Devaswom Board’s administrative committee in 2019, during the tenure of then board president A. Padmakumar. He was apprehended from his residence and formally arrested after being produced before the competent authorities.
Gold Handling and Documentation Under the Lens
The SIT has been probing alleged irregularities connected to gold plating and restoration work carried out on sacred structures and artefacts at the Sabarimala temple. Investigators suspect that discrepancies in official documentation—including cases where gold-plated panels were allegedly recorded as copper—may have facilitated diversion or misappropriation of valuable temple assets.
Officials said earlier phases of the investigation led to the arrest of senior temple officials and private individuals, including those associated with contractors involved in plating and maintenance work. The arrest of a former board member is being viewed as a decisive shift towards examining policy approvals, oversight failures and administrative lapses.
“The focus is now on who authorised what, and whether due diligence was followed at the board level,” a senior official familiar with the probe said.
Failure to Appear Triggered Arrest
Sources indicated that Vijayakumar had earlier been served a notice to appear before the SIT. His failure to respond reportedly prompted the team to proceed with arrest, as investigators sought custodial access to clarify decision-making processes, file movements and internal communications during his tenure.
The development also aligns with earlier judicial observations. The Kerala High Court had previously expressed concern over delays in questioning key functionaries who were part of the temple administration when the alleged irregularities occurred.
Board Tenure Under Renewed Scrutiny
Vijayakumar’s tenure on the TDB has now come under renewed scrutiny, as investigators examine whether board members were aware of—or complicit in—decisions related to the removal, reclassification or replacement of gold-covered components at the temple.
The SIT is also expected to revisit the roles of other former board members from the same period. Another board functionary, K. P. Shankardas, had earlier been named in court proceedings, though officials noted that health-related issues had delayed questioning in his case.
Political and Public Attention
The case continues to attract intense attention across Kerala, cutting across religious sentiment, public accountability and political debate. Opposition parties and civil society groups have repeatedly demanded a transparent and time-bound investigation, stressing that offerings made by millions of devotees must be safeguarded with the highest standards of integrity.
Legal experts say the arrest of a former TDB member could strengthen the prosecution’s case by helping determine whether the alleged irregularities were isolated acts or part of a systemic administrative failure.
Probe to Continue
Authorities said the SIT investigation is far from over. The next phase will include forensic audits, examination of financial records and temple inventories, and custodial interrogation of the accused. Investigators have not ruled out further arrests if evidence points to a wider conspiracy.
With Vijayakumar’s arrest, the SIT has signalled its intent to pursue accountability beyond operational staff, extending the probe to those who held positions of trust and authority. Officials reiterated that the objective remains to reconstruct the complete sequence of decisions that may have enabled the alleged theft of sacred gold and to ensure that all responsible parties are brought to justice.
