Former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president and CPM leader A Padmakumar was on Wednesday sent to the custody of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for two days in the Sabarimala gold theft case.

The special vigilance court allowed the SIT’s plea to question him in connection with the alleged loss of gold from the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames of the Lord Ayyappa temple. He will be produced before the court on Thursday evening when the custody ends.

According to the SIT, Padmakumar, arrested last Thursday, had referred to “gold-plated copper plates” as “copper plates” in official records. He is the eighth accused in the second case related to the missing gold from the Sreekovil door frames.

The SIT is probing two cases: the missing gold from the gold-clad Dwarapalaka idols and the disappearance of gold from the Sreekovil door frames. Six people, including prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty, have been arrested so far.

Meanwhile, the SIT has also recorded the statements of Sabarimala tantris Kandararu Mohanaru and Kandararu Rajeevaru. Speaking to reporters, Rajeevaru confirmed giving his statement but declined to reveal details. He said he knew Potty as someone who worked at Sabarimala, but denied bringing him to the temple. He added that all temple artefacts remain under the custody of the TDB.