Kandararu Rajeevaru hospitalised, SIT visits Tantri’s Chengannur home for evidence collection

Thiruvananthapuram: Sabarimala Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, remanded to judicial custody in the Sabarimala gold theft case, was hospitalised after he complained of uneasiness in jail on Saturday. He was taken to the Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital and is expected to be shifted to the Medical College Hospital following medical advice. Doctors recommended the transfer after conducting examinations, including an ECG, at the General Hospital.

Meanwhile, the SIT probe team visited Rajeevaru’s residence at Chengannur around 2.30 pm on Saturday as part of evidence collection. His wife and mother were present at the house during the visit. The team is expected to examine documents and electronic devices.

Rajeevaru, who has been remanded till January 23 by the Kollam Vigilance Court, is lodged at the Thiruvananthapuram Special Sub Jail. The SIT remand report has levelled serious allegations against the Tantri. He has been booked under Sections 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a person in a position of trust), 466 (forgery of public records), 467 (forgery of valuable security), and 120B read with 34 (criminal conspiracy and common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with Sections 13(1)(a) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).

According to the SIT, Rajeevaru had close associations with Unnikrishnan Potty and was aware that the replating of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) plates and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) doorframe plates was carried out outside the Sabarimala temple premises in 2019, in violation of ritual norms.

In the arrest report, the SIT said the Tantri had given tacit approval to Potty to take the gold-clad plates out of the temple, despite knowing that the Travancore Devaswom Board had not obtained any written permission from him for the work.

Rajeevaru is the 11th accused to be arrested in the case since the Kerala High Court constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged gold loss. He was produced before the Kollam Vigilance Court and remanded to judicial custody.

Rajeevaru hails from the Thazhamon Madom priestly family in Chengannur, which has guided the rituals of the Sabarimala temple for generations.