Sabarimala Case: Arrested Tantri Admitted to Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital
Thiruvananthapuram: Kandararu Rajeevaru, the Tantri arrested in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case, was admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital after experiencing health complications. Police have been deployed at the hospital for security. According to the jail superintendent, Rajeev complained of physical discomfort on Saturday morning.
Rajeevaru has been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. A member of the Thazhamon family, which holds the traditional Tantric rights at Sabarimala, Kandararu Rajeevaru was summoned to Thiruvananthapuram early Friday morning. After nearly five hours of interrogation, his arrest was formally recorded.
In the remand report submitted to the Vigilance Court, the Special Investigation Team stated that the Tantri had knowingly supported the removal of gold plates from the temple, despite being fully aware that such an act constituted a violation of temple rituals and customs. The report further alleges that the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, gave tacit approval and actively participated in the conspiracy.
According to the investigation, on May 18, 2019, the wooden panels of the sanctum sanctorum door and the ornamental halo plates were removed and handed over to Unnikrishnan Potti without seeking the deity’s consent or following the mandatory Tantric rituals. These actions, the report says, amounted to serious procedural and ritual violations.
Rajeevaru was brought to the Special Investigation Team’s office at Enchakkal around 2.30 pm on Friday, where arrest formalities were completed. He was later subjected to a medical examination at the General Hospital in the evening. At around 7.40 pm, he was produced before Kollam Vigilance Court Judge C.S. Mohith at the judge’s residence. Following the remand order, Rajeev was shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Special Sub Jail around 10 pm.
The Tantri holds a position regarded as equivalent to that of a spiritual father of the deity. For this reason, officials describe this arrest as one of the most crucial and significant developments in the Sabarimala case.