The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the missing gold from Sabarimala Temple continued its evidence collection for the second consecutive day from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) office. Two officers visited the Maramath division, which maintains records of the original gold cladding of the sanctum, and secured crucial documents and copies.
The team also interacted with members of the TDB Vigilance Wing, including the Superintendent of Police who had earlier submitted a detailed report to the High Court. Investigators are expected to gather more evidence from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, as the gold-plated panels were reportedly taken there by the main accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, a former priest and businessman.
On Wednesday, the SIT collected additional information from Chennai-based jewelers who were assigned the gold cladding project in 1998 by the United Breweries Group, then owned by Vijay Mallya.
After completing the initial evidence collection, the SIT will begin questioning all accused persons, including Potti. To expedite the process, the team plans to set up a temporary camp office in Pathanamthitta for interrogations and coordination. SIT Chief ADGP Venkatesh is expected to visit the Sabarimala shrine soon to oversee the progress of the probe. The team had earlier gathered on-site evidence from the temple premises as part of its comprehensive investigation into the high-profile gold theft case.
