Former Devaswom Board President A. Padmakumar Denied Bail in Sabarimala Gold Loot Case
Kollam: A. Padmakumar, the former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, has been denied bail by the Kollam Vigilance Court in connection with the Sabarimala gold loot case.
The court’s decision came after the prosecution argued that Padmakumar, who held a crucial position as the Devaswom Board President at the time of the incident, played a significant role in the case. The prosecution highlighted concerns that if released on bail, Padmakumar, being a person of considerable influence, could potentially tamper with evidence and influence witnesses.
The court concurred with the investigation team’s apprehension, acknowledging the risk of the accused manipulating evidence or influencing witnesses. Consequently, the bail application was rejected.
Padmakumar was initially named by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) as an accused in the case involving the theft of gold intended for the ‘Dwarapalaka’ idols. Subsequently, the special investigation team also included him as an accused in the separate case concerning the smuggling of the ‘Dwarapalaka’ idol panels.
Earlier, other individuals implicated in the case, including Murari Babu, K.S. Baiju, and N. Vasu, had also sought bail from the Kollam Vigilance Court, but their applications were similarly rejected. Following this denial, Padmakumar has indicated his intention to approach a higher court to appeal the decision.