N. Vijayakumar, a former member of the Travancore Devaswom Board and a senior CPI(M) activist, was taken into custody in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case after extensive questioning by the Crime Branch in Thiruvananthapuram. Vijayakumar’s arrest has shifted the focus of the investigation towards examining the collective operations of the Board during the relevant period.
Vijayakumar, who served on the Board under former president A. Padmakumar, appeared before the Special Investigation Team earlier, citing pressure but maintaining his innocence. Investigators claim to have evidence indicating Vijayakumar’s knowledge of the gold plates handed to one of the main suspects, Unnikrishnan Potti.
The arrest of Vijayakumar follows the withdrawal of his anticipatory bail plea, prompted by the Kerala High Court’s criticism of the investigation’s direction. The court emphasized the shared responsibility of all Board members in the alleged misappropriation of temple assets. The arrest is seen as supporting Padmakumar’s assertion of collective accountability within the Board.
