Key Interrogations Continue in Sabarimala Gold theft case
Crucial questioning is ongoing in the Sabarimala gold Theft case. Unnikrishnan Potti and Murari Babu, who was taken into custody yesterday, will be interrogated together. The move comes as Potti’s custody period ends tomorrow. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is also likely to seek an extension of his custody. The SIT had requested Murari Babu’s custody before the 29th with the objective of conducting a joint evidence collection with both accused before the expiry of the custody period.
Murari Babu is the second accused in the case of theft of gold layers from the Dwarapalaka sculptures and the sixth accused in the case involving the removal of gold-plated wooden panels. According to the SIT’s findings, Murari Babu conspired with Potti in the fraudulent operation. Earlier, the Devaswom Vigilance had found that the gold strips were melted by Unnikrishnan Potti and his team.
Meanwhile, 608 grams of gold seized from Ballari in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft was produced before the Ranni court. The seized items include five gold bars of 100 grams each, one bar of 74 grams, and gold coins. After weighing, the gold was taken into custody for safe storage. As per Potti’s statement, the gold separated from the Dwarapalaka idols was sold to Govardhan in Ballari. It was based on this information that the gold was recently seized. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether the seized gold is indeed the same gold removed from the Dwarapalaka sculptures.