In a key development in the Sabarimala gold heist case, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) official Murari Babu secured bail on Friday.
The Kollam Vigilance Court granted relief after 90 days of judicial custody.
Murari Babu is the only serving TDB employee arrested so far in connection with the high-profile case.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), appointed by the Kerala High Court, has arrested 13 people so far.
Murari Babu was the second arrest, after the prime accused, Unnikrishna Potti.
The court granted bail in both cases linked to the gold misappropriation: the ‘Dwarapalaka’ gold plates and the ‘Kattilappala’ wooden panels. Bail was granted under strict conditions.
The relief followed arguments on Murari Babu’s bail pleas, which concluded on Thursday. The court reserved its order before issuing the ruling.
The court’s decision releases Murari Babu as the first accused in the Sabarimala gold heist case on bail.
Earlier, Potti received statutory bail in the Dwarapalaka case. However, he remains in remand in the Kattilappala case, as the mandatory 90-day period has not lapsed.
Investigators maintain that both probes continue. They indicated that additional arrests and recoveries remain possible.
Meanwhile, the remand of another accused, Tantri Kantarar Rajeevar, has been extended for 14 days. The court will hear his bail plea on January 28.
The Sabarimala gold heist case involves allegations of misappropriation of gold plates and panels used in temple structures.
It has stirred widespread controversy and political debate in Kerala.
Murari Babu’s status as the only serving TDB employee arrested adds sensitivity to the matter.
This has intensified scrutiny over the administration of one of Kerala’s most prominent temple bodies.
The case continues to attract attention from both the public and political stakeholders, highlighting governance and accountability issues within religious institutions.
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