SIT searches former Sabarimala tantri’s residence in Chengannur over financial links with Potti

Chengannur: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Saturday conducted a search at the Mundankavu residence of arrested Sabarimala tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru in connection with the temple gold theft case. The team arrived with a heavy police presence.

The SIT is primarily looking for information related to the financial transactions between Rajeevaru and Unnikrishnan Potti, the first accused in the case. The inspection began at around 2.50 pm. At the time of the search, Rajeevaru’s wife and other family members were present at the house. An eight-member SIT team carried out the inspection.

Rajeevaru was arrested by the SIT on Friday afternoon in relation to the gold theft case.

The raid is part of the ongoing effort to recover evidence linked to the alleged illegal replating of gold ornaments and fixtures at the hill shrine.
Earlier statements given by former Devaswom Board president A Padmakumar and others had alleged that it was then tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru who brought Unnikrishnan Potti, the first accused in the case, to Sabarimala. It was also Rajeevaru who allegedly issued the note stating that the gold-plated panels, where copper had begun to appear due to wear, could be taken for re-plating. However, the SIT had observed that the note made no mention of the fact that the panels had been gold-plated in 1998. It was this note that Murari Babu, another accused in the case, later altered to describe the panels as copper sheets.