Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], November 29 (ANI): Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged that the Sabarimala gold theft case was part of a much larger conspiracy and started many years ago during the Congress period. He said that the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti's photos with CWC chairperson Sonia Gandhi, exposed the deep Congress-CPM nexus behind this crime.

In a post on X, Rajeev Chandrasekhar shared, 'We've been right from the beginning - the Sabarimala gold loot is part of a much larger conspiracy and started many years ago during the Congress period. Unnikrishnan Potti's photos with Sonia Gandhi expose the deep Congress-CPM nexus behind this crime. Now we know why Congress maintained a calculated silence while lakhs of Hindu vishwasis demanded justice. If not for the relentless protests by @BJP4Keralam karyakartas and Hindu vishwasis, the INDI partners would have buried this case long ago. Congress and CPM pretend to be Opposition in Kerala, but in reality, they are partners in crime.'

'And let's be clear: Potti is just a small player. This goes much deeper and higher up the INDI chain. A fair, independent probe by Central agencies is the only way justice can be delivered and criminals sent behind bars,' he further added.

Earlier on November 26, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) took into custody A. Padmakumar, former Sabarimala Executive Committee President and CPM Pathanamthitta District Committee member, in the Sabarimala sanctum gold heist case.

Padmakumar, who also served as the former Konni MLA, was taken into custody after the Kollam Vigilance Court approved the SIT's custody request. Padmakumar had earlier been remanded for 14 days by the court.

Kerala Police have registered a case against KM Shajahan, former additional private secretary to the late former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan and now a YouTuber, for allegedly insulting ADGP S Sreejith and claiming the police's role in the Sabarimala gold theft case.

The case was registered based on a complaint filed by ADGP S. Sreejith.

According to the FIR, Shajahan allegedly circulated videos through a YouTube channel 'Prathipaksham' that were intended to insult Sabarimala Chief Police Coordinator S Sreejith as well as the police force. The complaint states that the content was capable of causing resentment towards the police force among Sabarimala devotees and inciting hostility between communities on religious grounds, with the potential to trigger unrest.

The FIR further noted that Shajahan made false allegations in the video, claiming that ADGP S. Sreejith and the police were involved in the Sabarimala gold theft case.

The case has been registered against KM Shajahan under Sections 192 (Provocation with intent to cause riot) and 196(1)(a) (Promoting enmity between different groups) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act, which deals with causing a nuisance of himself to any person by repeated or undesirable or anonymous message through any means of communication.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on November 12 demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the Sabarimala gold theft case, alleging that the 'true faces' of all the accused are now being exposed and claiming that 'many ministers will go to jail' as the investigation progresses.

Earlier, on November 7, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Crime Branch arrested former Thiruvabharanam temple Commissioner KS Baiju in connection with a gold theft case.

Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, was reportedly taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on October 17. The SIT, which is investigating the matter, submitted its second report to the Kerala High Court, revealing serious irregularities in the minutes of the Travancore Devaswom Board.

The Sabarimala gold controversy involves allegations of irregularities regarding the gold plating work at the Sabarimala temple. This situation arose from a donation of 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998, intended for the cladding of the sanctum sanctorum and the wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala. (ANI)