Former Devaswom Commissioner N Vasu Arrested in Sabarimala Temple Gold Theft Investigation

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested former Travancore Devaswom Board president and ex-Devaswom Commissioner N Vasu on Tuesday in connection with the Sabarimala gold heist case. Vasu was initially summoned for questioning before being taken into custody.

SIT chief SP S Sashidharan had previously interrogated Vasu and plans to present him before the court today.

This arrest has created political pressure on Kerala's ruling left government, as Vasu's appointment to the board was widely considered politically motivated. He previously served as private secretary to former CPI(M) Minister PK Gurudasan and was twice elected as a panchayat member representing the CPI(M).

Both the BJP and Congress had criticized the apparent delay in Vasu's arrest during their intense protest campaigns over the past four weeks.

The case involves theft of gold sheets from door lintels, which forms a significant component of the broader gold theft investigation. Vasu served as Devaswom Commissioner in March 2019 before being promoted to Board President in November of the same year.

Investigators focused on a December 9, 2019 email sent by prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti to Vasu. In this communication, Potti claimed there was surplus gold remaining after completing work on doorkeepers' statues and sanctum panels, and requested permission to use this gold for a girl's wedding ceremony.

The investigation revealed that Vasu neither reported this irregularity nor the discrepancy in gold weight to the board. Additionally, the SIT determined that Vasu had directed Murari Babu to falsely record the gold sheets as copper in official documentation. Though initially questioned and released by the SIT, Vasu later requested additional time citing health concerns when served with a second notice. The SIT subsequently summoned him again before taking him into custody.

The Kerala High Court had previously expressed surprise at the Board's inaction against Unnikrishnan Potti despite being aware of the incriminating email. With this latest development, Vasu becomes the fourth official detained in connection with the case. The SIT has identified six accused across two FIRs, with Unnikrishnan Potti and former officials Murari Babu, KS Baiju, and Sudheesh Kumar currently in judicial custody.