SABARIMALA PROBE: SPARE POLITICS, ENSURE FAIRNESS

THE ongoing investigation into the Sabarimala gold theft case has expanded with the arrest of a thantri (hereditary head priest) of the temple.

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The police’s special investigation team probing the case under the Kerala High Court’s supervision has claimed that the thantri, Kandararu Rajeevaru, played a role in the conspiracy. This marks a significant turning point in the investigation, which had so far been focused on the involvement of former and serving officials of the Travancore Devaswom Board—mostly CPI(M) members or nominees. This had made the case a CPI(M) problem. The opposition successfully campaigned at the recent local body polls flagging the theft as a plot by CPI(M) and its men to loot temple assets.