Sabarimala Gold Theft: Kerala Court Grants Bail To Former Devaswom Board Official

The Court of the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Kollam on Thursday (January 29) granted bail to S. Sreekumar, the former Administrative Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board, who is arraigned as the 6th accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case.Sri. Mohit C.S., Special Judge, passed the order granting him bail. Sreekumar was arrested on December 17, 2025 and had been in custody since then. He was under police custody for one day on January 20, 2026."The investigating agency has also collected the sample writings and sample signature of the petitioner/accused...That being so considering the admitted limited role of the petitioner in the aforesaid crime and the fact that the Investigating Agency has not been able to produce any further incriminating materials against the petitioner and further considering the facts and circumstances of the case mentioned above in detail in the context of the limited role of the petitioner in the entire diabolic transaction the case of the petitioner/6th accused has to be differentiated and distinguished from the allegations against the other accused in the crime. It is evident prima facie that the petitioner/6th accused who took charge admittedly just two days prior to the signing on the Mahazar on 19/07/2019 and too in a pre-pared Mahazar which admittedly was not prepared by him or initiated by him has no direct complicity in the alleged crime. No incriminating materials are produced to establish prima facie the involvement of the petitioner in the conspiracy or the offences alleged," the Court remarked.He had preferred an anticipatory bail before the High Court but the same was dismissed.The prosecution allegation was that the accused persons, knowing that the Dwarapalaka idols were gold-cladded, entered into a conspiracy and submitted a false report that these were merely copper plates and intended to be gold-plated. It is alleged that the accused worked together in misappropriating gold from the idols placed in Sabarimala temple.The specific allegation against Sreekumar was that he along with the 5th accused attested the Mahazars prepared for removal and handing over of the gold-cladded plates to the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potty. Potty is alleged to have taken these to Smart Creations in Chennai, where the gold is alleged to be stripped and misappropriated.He is accused of the offences under Section 120B [Conspiracy], 403 [Dishonest misappropriation of property], 406 [Criminal breach of trust], 409 [Criminal breach of trust by public servant], 466 [Forgery of record of Court or of public register] and 467 [Forgery of valuable security] r/w Section 34 [Common intention] of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13(1)(a) of the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018.Sreekumar has submitted that he is innocent of the crime and that the mahazar was prepared by his predecessor in post, the 2nd accused Murari Babu. He has claimed that he signed the mahazar as per the directions of his superior, the Executive Officer. He further stated he has never even met Potty or has any personal or professional acquaintance with him.He has further stated that on the very same on which he joined duty at Sabarimala, the workers were already engaged in removing the plates and he was told that the decision to send them for gold plating was already taken.The investigating officer filed a statement, opposing grant of bail. Since the recovery of gold is not complete and the investigation is still in progress, there is chance of influencing witness and tampering with evidence.It was stated that Sreekumar had clear knowledge of the gold content in the plates and knowingly signed the mahazar. Moreover, since Sreekumar signed on the mahazar prepared at the time of re-fixing the plates, that too in the presence of Potty, it cannot be believed that Sreekumar was innocent and did not know Potty.After considering the case in whole, the Court felt it appropriate to grant him regular bail on conditions.Case No: Crl.M.P. No. 342 of 2025Case Title: S. Sreekumar v. State of KeralaCounsel for the petitioner: Anil Prasad M., Suresh KumarPublic Prosecutor: Siju RajanClick to Read/Download Order

Sabarimala Gold Theft: Kerala Court Grants Bail To Former Devaswom Board Official

K. Salma Jennath

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