Ex-official points to ‘higher-ups'

A former executive officer of the hill-shrine at Sabarimala, who has been remanded in custody as part of an expanding investigation into alleged gold-theft and tampering of sacred idol panels, is believed to have told the investigators that he had acted as per ‘instructions from above’.

- HD Bureau

The claim indicates the involvement of the Travancore Devaswom Board in the fraud.

The Special Investigation Team has taken into custody D. Sudheesh Kumar, once an executive officer under the Travancore Devaswom Board, following evidence that key intricacies in the 2019 renovation of gold-plated panels were misrepresented.