Ex-TDB member Vijayakumar arrested in Sabarimala gold theft case

Former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) member N. Vijayakumar was arrested on Monday in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case, the police said.

Mr. Vijayakumar was a member of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) during the tenure of the former President A. Padmakumar, who has already been arrested in the case related to the missing of gold from the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).

During the tenure of the board, approval was given to hand over gold plates to the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, for electroplating in 2019.

Mr. Vijayakumar was summoned to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) office in Thiruvananthapuram for questioning. After the interrogation, his arrest was recorded, sources said. He will be produced before the Kollam Vigilance court.

Mr. Vijayakumar became the 10th accused to be arrested by the SIT as part of the probe into the case.

Earlier, the Kerala High Court, while considering a petition related to the Sabarimala gold theft case, had criticised the SIT for not probing the role of former TDB members K.P. Shankardas and Mr. Vijayakumar.

The SIT was constituted on the directions of the High Court, which earlier this month granted the team an additional six months to complete the investigation.