Thiruvananthapuram: While the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft had considered bringing replacement of Sabarimala temple's flagmast under the ambit of the probe following the seizure of vaji vahanam from the house of Sabarimala Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, a 2017 interim report citing transfer of artefact to tantri had been approved by the Kerala High Court.

The interim report, filed by  Advocate Commissioner ASP Kurup noted that the vaji vahanam was handed over to the Tantri by the then Devaswom Board president following the conduct of the Jeevodswam on February 17, 2017. The report was approved by a Division Bench comprising Justice Ramachandra Menon and Devan Ramachandran. Any deviation from this earlier judicial finding could place the court in a contradictory position. Sources, however, said they need to look into the circumstances under which such a report was filed and will probe the details of the original petition. 

In the report of the Advocate Commissioner, it was cited that the installation of golden flag mast at the temple was conducted by the Tantri Kantaru Rajeevaru on June 25, 2017 in the presence of several thousands of devotees and the Commissioner called this a 'major historical event with respect to the temple'.  The report delineates the rituals in detail which was approved by the HC.

Meanwhile, the SIT has accused Rajeevaru of having knowingly permitted the unauthorised removal of temple valuables, violating ritual practices and giving criminal tacit consent as part of a larger conspiracy, according to the remand report. He was remanded into judicial custody for 14 days on Saturday after he was arrested in the second case related to gold theft from the Dwarapalaka idols.

Rajeevaru (66), a native of Alappuzha and the 13th accused in the case, was initially summoned for questioning at a secret location and his arrest was later formally recorded at the Crime Branch office in Enjakkal, for alleged misappropriation of gold on the door frames of the sanctum sanctorum.

He has been booked under Sections 403 (dishonest misappropriation), 406 and 409 (criminal breach of trust), 466 and 467 (forgery), and 120B read with 34 (criminal conspiracy and common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Sections 13(1)(a) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to the remand report, Rajeevaru allowed the removal of gold-plated copper plates fixed on the sanctum doorway and prabhamandala on May 18, 2019, for repair, and handed them over to Unnikrishnan Potty without obtaining divine sanction or following prescribed Tantric procedures.

The SIT said Rajeevaru failed to report the ritual violation to the Travancore Devaswom Board or take steps to prevent the removal. "By his inaction, the accused gave criminal tacit consent," the report noted.

Citing provisions of the Travancore Devaswom Manual, the SIT said repairs to valuable temple properties must be carried out within temple premises and that their removal is prohibited. The report added that Rajeevaru, a long-serving Tantri belonging to the Thazhmon Madam, which holds hereditary Tantric rights of the temple, was fully aware of these rules.

Investigators further noted that Rajeevaru was present at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam between May 14 and May 19, 2019, and officiated all daily poojas on the day the plates were removed. He continued to conduct rituals even after the plates were taken out and before they were reinstalled on June 18, 2019.

The SIT said Rajeevaru had been under surveillance for a considerable period and had introduced Unnikrishnan Potty to other accused. His long-standing association with Potty was corroborated by call data records, the report added.