Sabarimala gold scam: Former TDB official Sreekumar gets bail

Kollam: A Vigilance Court here on Thursday granted bail to S Sreekumar, former administrative officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), in connection with the Sabarimala gold scam. He is named as the sixth accused in the case for the alleged theft of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols at the Ayyappa temple.

Vigilance Court Judge Dr CS Mohit granted bail after considering the defence’s argument that Sreekumar had joined the TDB only a few days before the removal of the gold panels from the idols. His counsel submitted that he had merely signed documents related to transporting the panels for electroplating work.

Though the prosecution opposed the bail plea, citing the crucial stage of the investigation, the court allowed his release.

The Special Investigation Team had arrested him on December 17, 2025.

Sreekumar, who has been in judicial custody for the past 43 days, is expected to be released by Thursday evening. Earlier, Murari Babu, another former administrative official of the TDB, was also granted bail in the case.

Meanwhile, the court extended the judicial custody of KP Sankar Das, another accused in the case, by 14 days. He was a TDB member during the period of the alleged gold theft at the Ayyappa temple.