Kollam: A vigilance court here on Wednesday reserved its order on granting statutory bail to prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti in the second case of alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols of the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple.

Earlier, a senior lawyer had said that Potti was granted the statutory bail.

Bengaluru-based businessman Potti had on January 21 secured statutory bail in the case related to alleged misappropriation of gold from the door frames of temple's Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).

Public prosecutor Siju Rajan, representing the SIT, opposed the grant of bail to Potti.

Similar reliefs have already been obtained by former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) administrative officers B Murari Babu and S Sreekumar as the chargesheet was not filed within the stipulated time.

Sreekumar has not been made an accused in the second case involving the loss of gold from the doorframes of Sreekovil.

Besides them, TDB executive officer D Sudheesh Kumar got the same relief on the same grounds on Monday.

The SIT has arrested 12 persons, including two former TDB presidents, to date. PTI