Thiruvananthapuram (Gurpreet Singh): A vigilance court on Wednesday granted bail to Sabarimala’s chief priest, Kandararu Rajeevaru, in connection with cases alleging misappropriation of gold from the revered hill shrine, police sources said.
Rajeevaru, the tantri of the Sabarimala Temple, has been named as the 16th accused in a case involving the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols. He is also listed as the 13th accused in a separate case related to the reported disappearance of gold from the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).
The court granted him bail in both cases. The detailed order outlining the conditions of bail is awaited.
According to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the matter, Rajeevaru was allegedly aware in 2019 that gold-plated sheets had been removed from the temple premises without adherence to established procedures. Investigators claim he did not inform the concerned authorities about the irregularities at the time.
The probe into the alleged discrepancies and accountability of those involved is still underway.
