SIT arrests two more in Sabarimala gold-missing case

The Special Investigation Team probing the Sabarimala gold-missing case arrested two more persons, including the CEO of a Chennai-based electroplating firm and a Ballari jeweller, after fresh evidence emerged during the probe ordered by the Kerala High Court

Thiruvananthapuram: The SIT probing the Sabarimala gold missing case on Friday arrested two more persons, officials said.

Those arrested were Pankaj Bhandari, CEO of Smart Creations, the Chennai-based firm that carried out electroplating of artefacts from Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, and Govardhan, a jeweller based in Ballari.

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According to police sources, the two were taken into custody and brought to the Crime Branch office in Thiruvananthapuram, where they were interrogated. Their arrests were later recorded after evidence emerged against them, a police officer said.

The SIT found that gold was allegedly removed from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idol plates and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) doorframes when the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, took them to Smart Creations for electroplating in 2019.

Police said Potty confessed that more than 400 grams of gold obtained after removing the plates during electroplating were handed over to Govardhan. Officials said Bhandari and Govardhan have been arraigned as accused in the case related to the loss of gold from the Dwarapalakas.

The SIT had questioned the duo soon after registering the case, but further evidence against them emerged during the probe, the officer said. The SIT has already seized over 400 grams of gold from Govardhan’s jewellery shop following a search, police said.

Bhandari and Govardhan are the eighth and ninth persons to be arrested in the gold missing cases. The arrested persons will be produced before the Vigilance Court in Kollam for remand proceedings. The SIT was constituted on the directions of the Kerala High Court. Earlier this month, the court granted the SIT an additional six months to complete the investigation.