Sabarimala Gold Theft Case: P.S. Prashanth and A. Ajikumar Remanded Again
Kollam: Former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P.S. Prashanth and board member A. Ajikumar, accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, were remanded again by the Vigilance Court on Wednesday. The court extended their remand until September 1, while the hearing on their bail pleas will continue.
The prosecution presented call detail records (CDRs), WhatsApp communications and other documents before the court to substantiate the alleged links between Prashanth, Ajikumar and Unnikrishnan Potti, a key accused in the case.
According to the prosecution, Prashanth and others spoke to Potti on the day the TDB decided to permit Smart Creations to undertake gold-plating work on Sabarimala artefacts. The prosecution also produced evidence of WhatsApp communications between them before the board meeting, as well as details of a direct meeting between Ajikumar and Potti.
The prosecution further alleged that two persons were provided houses under Potti’s guidance based on a recommendation made by Ajikumar. It also claimed that both Ajikumar and Potti were present at the key-handover ceremony.
The police also submitted evidence that an application seeking permission to transport gold sheets to Smart Creations was sent from another person's email account. According to the prosecution, the application was submitted a day after the TDB approved the proposal.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has alleged that the key accused, including Potti, planned and carried out the re-gilding of Sabarimala artefacts in 2025 with the alleged support of persons within the Devaswom Board. The SIT told the Kerala High Court that the re-gilding was allegedly part of an attempt to conceal the gold theft that took place in 2019.
Prashanth has been named an accused in the case concerning the transportation of the Dwarapalaka sculptures to Chennai in 2025. Murari Babu is the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potti the second, Pankaj Bhandari the third, Ajikumar the fifth and Kandararu Rajeevaru the sixth accused.
The High Court had earlier observed that there was clear evidence of a conspiracy against Prashanth. The SIT has stated that the roles of the accused were established based on evidence collected during the investigation and that they acted together as part of a pre-planned criminal conspiracy.
Prashanth and Ajikumar are also accused in a separate case involving alleged irregularities in the procurement of ghee for Sabarimala. A Vigilance investigation reportedly found irregularities in the tender through which ghee was procured from Milma.