In a significant development, Murari Babu, the suspended Administrative Officer of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) involved in the Sabarimala gold heist case, has been granted bail by the Kollam Vigilance Court. He is the only current TDB employee arrested in this case. The Kerala High Court-appointed SIT has arrested a total of 13 individuals, with Murari Babu being the second after the prime accused, Unnikrishna Potti.
The court has granted bail to Murari Babu in both the ‘Dwarapalaka’ (gatekeeper) gold plates case and the ‘Kattilappala’ (wooden panel) gold case. This decision follows the lapse of 90 days since his arrest, making him eligible for bail under the law due to the investigating agency’s failure to file a charge sheet within the stipulated period. The bail is subject to strict conditions imposed by the court.
With this ruling, Murari Babu becomes the first accused in the Sabarimala gold heist case to secure release on bail. Meanwhile, the investigation into both cases is ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of further arrests and recoveries. The case, involving allegations of misappropriation of gold plates and panels from temple structures, has sparked controversy and political debate in Kerala.
