Sabarimala Gold Heist Investigation: Former Thiruvabharanam Commissioner Detained As Political Tensions Rise

Former Thiruvabharanam Commissioner K.S. Baiju has been remanded to custody until November 21 in relation to the Sabarimala gold heist investigation.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) examining the Sabarimala gold theft case secured custody of the former Thiruvabharanam Commissioner on Friday. K.S. Baiju, a central figure in the investigation due to his alleged involvement, was arrested Thursday and brought before the Ranni court.

In his role as Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, Baiju was responsible for safeguarding valuable assets in temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Investigators claim that during his tenure, he incorrectly documented gold-plated elements of dwarapalaka sculptures and the Srikovil kattila panel as copper sheets in official records, thereby allowing the primary suspect, Unnikrishnan Potti, to substitute and remove them.

The investigation team has also noted that Baiju failed to sign crucial handover documents and was conspicuously absent during important phases when gold-plated items were removed from the shrine. This unexplained absence prevented the High Court-appointed Special Commissioner from detecting the irregularities. Investigators believe this omission may have been intentional.

Two additional former officials arrested in connection with the case will remain under interrogation. Former Administrative Officer Murari Babu has been remanded until Monday, while Former Executive Officer Sudheesh Kumar will stay in SIT custody until November 12.

Former TDB president N. Vasu may face additional questioning following strong observations made by the Kerala High Court.

As the investigation expanded, political tensions have escalated throughout Kerala ahead of the annual Mandala–Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

The BJP launched an extensive signature campaign with a target of collecting one crore signatures across southern states. The party stated that this initiative seeks the Prime Minister's intervention to "protect Sabarimala's assets" and address alleged deficiencies in pilgrim facilities. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar criticized the state government for failing to protect the temple's wealth and ensure transparent administration. Speaking to NDTV in Thiruvananthapuram, he emphasized the need to transfer Sabarimala's administration away from the Kerala government, noting that devotees come from beyond state boundaries.

The Congress party also announced plans to intensify its protest activities. KPCC president Sunny Joseph revealed that the party will organize a substantial 'Secretariat March' on November 12, accusing the government of concealing corruption and mismanagement within the TDB.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) has suggested restructuring the Travancore Devaswom Board—a politically significant recommendation coming shortly before the pilgrimage season begins.

The government is expected to initiate the restructuring process soon in an effort to rebuild public trust amid increasing criticism from both Congress and BJP.

With local body elections approaching, the Sabarimala issue has once again become a central point of controversy.