Sabarimala Gold Loss: Bail Granted to Potti in Second Case
Sabarimala Gold Loss: Bail Granted to Potti in Second Case
Kerala court grants statutory bail to Unnikrishnan Potti in the Sabarimala gold loss case after SIT misses 90-day chargesheet deadline.
A Kollam Vigilance Court on Thursday, February 5, 2026, granted statutory bail to Unnikrishnan Potti in the second Sabarimala gold loss case. The bail follows the Special Investigation Team's failure to file a chargesheet within 90 days of Potti’s arrest, making him eligible for statutory bail. Potti is the first accused in both the Sreekovil door frame gold loss case and the Dwarapalaka idol plates case, and with this order he is set to be released from custody. He is the fourth arrested person connected to the incident to secure release so far.
The court also extended the remand of Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru, who was produced via video conferencing, with his bail petition to be considered on February 9. In addition, former Travancore Devaswom Board Thiruvabharanam Commissioner K S Baiju has approached the Vigilance court seeking statutory bail in both cases. Baiju is the seventh accused in the Dwarapalaka gold loss case and the fourth accused in the Sreekovil door frame gold loss case.
Potti had earlier sought permission for replating gold-clad artefacts, which was approved by the Travancore Devaswom Board in 2019. The artefacts were subsequently taken to Smart Creations, a Chennai-based firm, where the replating work was carried out. The Enforcement Directorate has grilled Murari Babu in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case, and the SIT has asserted that some gold was diverted during the replating process. The court’s decision on Potti’s bail does not derail the ongoing probe, and the SIT continues to pursue charges against other accused as the investigation progresses. With bail granted in the two cases, Potti will be released, marking him as the fourth arrested person to exit custody in connection with the incident.
