Thiruvananthapuram: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold scam has served a fresh notice to A Padmakumar, former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). He has been asked to appear for the interrogation immediately as part of the probe into the missing of gold from the frames of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. This is the second time the probe team has issued a summons to the CPM leader. Earlier, he had skipped the interrogation, citing health issues.

On Tuesday, the SIT recorded the arrest of N Vasu, who served as both Devaswom Commissioner and TDB president in 2019. He was booked in the case related to the disappearance of gold from the temple’s door frames. According to SIT, gold used for plating the sanctum sanctorum (Sreekovil) door frames had allegedly been recorded as copper at Vasu's instructions. Padmakumar came under the SIT's radar because he served as the board president when Vasu was the Devaswom commissioner. 

After his arrest was recorded, the SIT produced Vasu before a Pathanamthitta court, which remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days. Following the hearing, he was taken to the Kottarakkara Sub Jail.

Vasu was serving as Devaswom Commissioner in 2019 when the alleged theft took place. He has been named the third accused in the gold slab case, with Unnikrishnan Potti as the first accused. Questions had earlier been raised over the delay in taking Vasu into custody, even after the arrest of Sudheesh Kumar, the fourth accused.

According to the SIT, the gold slabs were initially recorded as copper in a letter submitted by Vasu to the Board for approval. The Board approved the letter on February 26, 2019, and subsequently decided to hand over the slabs to Potti on March 19. The slabs were removed based on an order issued by Devaswom Secretary S Jayashree.

The investigation report pointed to serious lapses by officials, including Vasu, stating that the gold was lost due to irresponsible administrative actions and failures within the Board.