Former TDB chief accused of being main conspirator

FORMER Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president and senior CPM leader A Padmakumar played a direct role in the alleged gold theft at Sabarimala by conspiring with the co-accused, the police remand report filed before the Kollam vigilance court says.

- SHAN A S @ T'Puram

Padmakumar, who was TDB president when the alleged offence took place, was arrested on Thursday after an hours-long interrogation. The remand report, details of which were accessed by TNIE, said Padmakumar ignored guidelines, which barred the displacement of temple wealth, and connived with the co-accused to move the gold-clad sheets to Chennai on the pretext of repair. He also identified gold-clad copper sheets as 'copper sheets' in the agenda notice of the board meeting held in March 2019.