The SIT probing the Sabarimala gold scam, in its latest report, has informed the High Court that it has collected evidence against former President, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), P S Prasanth.

The report submitted by the SIT states that overwhelming materials have been collected, clearly establishing the role of Murari Babu, former Executive Officer, Sabarimala, Unnikrishnan Potty, the sponsor, Pankaj Bhandari, proprietor of Smart Creations, Chennai, P S Prashanth, A Ajikumar, Member, TDB and Kandararu Rajeevaru, Chief Priest (Tantri), Sabarimala, and Rejilal, Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, TDB.

The Crime Branch has concluded that the acts committed by the accused, acting in concert and pursuant to a premeditated criminal conspiracy, disclose the commission of offences including criminal breach of trust, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

Besides, the roles of Sundareshan, who was then a Member of the Board, Bindhu, former Secretary, TDB, Tantri Mahesh Mohanararu, Sunila, Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, O G Biju, former Executive Officer, Sreenivas, Administrative Officer, Hemanth, Assistant Executive Officer, Pandurangaiah Naga Govardhan, a jeweller based in Bellari, and V S.Rajendra Prasad, who served as Executive Officer during the year 2020, are presently being probed in detail.

The SIT has sought additional time for completing the investigation as analysis report in respect of one of the samples forwarded to the National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur, and another sample sent to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, is yet to be received.

As per the report, the officers and members of the Board were fully aware, from the communications exchanged with Unnikrishnan Potty, that he continued to remain in possession of the balance quantity of gold retained after removing the original gold cladding in 2019 and carrying out the subsequent replating.

The communications exchanged, the Board Orders issued, and the decisions taken collectively reveal that the named officers of the Board and some of the Board Members had knowledge of the misappropriation of the gold and, instead of taking corrective action, actively

colluded with Unnikrishnan Potty and the other accused in facilitating the removal of the Dwarapalakas and concealing the theft and misappropriation of the gold.