The Kerala Special Investigation Team (SIT), in connection with the Sabarimala gold loot case, has arrested P.S. Prasanth, former Travancore Devaswom Board president and CPM leader, on July 23.
It is a long-awaited arrest because of the anomalies that occurred during his tenure as the president. However, Prasanth told the media that he had been trapped in the Sabarimala gold loot case. He added that he would prove his innocence and return to public life. He made these remarks when he was brought for a medical check-up after his arrest.
Ajikumar, former Devaswom Board member and CPI leader, has also been arrested. The arrest of both leaders follows findings that gold layers were removed, without the High Court’s permission, for plating in 2025.
Prasanth had made a Facebook post in the morning itself alleging that he would be arrested soon due to political pressure. He claimed that the Devaswom Board had been instrumental in exposing the Sabarimala gold loot of 2019 and that they had discharged their duties sincerely.
Still, the Devaswom Board remains on the list of the accused. His post said that he would cooperate with the inquiry, but would also expose the ‘political conspiracies’ behind the arrest.
Prasanth is the third Travancore Devaswom Board president during the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule. He was arrested from his residence and taken to the Kollam Police Club, where his arrest was formally recorded.
The SIT had found that the gold layers were taken to Smart Creations, Chennai, for gold plating in 2025 to camouflage the gold loot of 2019. However, Prasanth argues that the High Court’s permission was not sought due to a technical lapse.
There are reports that the next in line is Kadakampally Surendran, senior CPM leader and Devaswom Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet (2016–2021).
His visit to the residence of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on the morning of July 1 was controversial. There was speculation that he had gone there to seek the Home Minister’s ‘blessings’ to escape arrest. He rode a scooter to the Home Minister’s residence without wearing a helmet, which is an offence in Kerala. However, so far, no action has been taken against him in this regard. The BJP had alleged that it was evidence of the INDI Alliance in the state.
