New Delhi: law enforcement bureau Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabrimala gold theft case, was summoned on Friday, a day after he and three other accused were granted statutory bail by the Special Investigation Team.Poti was accused of misappropriating gold from the Devarapalakha idol, sanctum sanctorum, pillars and door frames of the Sabarimala temple. He was arrested in November last year and remained in judicial custody for more than three months.
Former TDB administrator S Sreekumar and former TDB administrator Murari Babu were also questioned by the education ministry earlier.From 2004 to 2008, Potti served as the “parikarmi” (assistant) to the keezsanthi (chief priestly assistant) of Sabarimala.In 2014, he came under devil’s worm surveillance as some transactions without coupons at Sannidhanam came under suspicion. Although he was asked to leave Sunnydanan, he returned a few years later.He was granted bail on Thursday after the crime branch failed to submit a final report within the stipulated time. In its order, the court noted that the right to default on bail under Section 167(2) is absolute and cannot be denied on the basis of the seriousness of the offence.
