Kollam (Kerala), February 27 A court here on Friday granted statutory bail to a former TDB official in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case.
Kollam Vigilance Court Judge Mohit CS granted bail to former Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornament) Commissioner K S Baiju in the case related to the alleged theft of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) plates, as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a charge sheet within 90 days of his arrest.
Baiju is the seventh accused in the Dwarapalaka case.
Earlier, on February 12, the same court had granted the former Travancore Devaswom Board official bail in a second case related to the alleged theft of gold from the doorframes of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum), in which he is the fourth accused.
With bail granted in both cases, Baiju is expected to be released from jail soon.
He is the seventh person to be released on bail in connection with the case, police said.
The SIT had alleged that gold artefacts were handed over to the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, in 2019 when Baiju was serving as Thiruvabharanam Commissioner.
Meanwhile, Govardhan Roddam, owner of a jewellery firm in Ballari, Karnataka, has approached the court seeking bail.
Recently, the SIT informed the Kerala High Court that the charge sheet in both cases would be filed before March 31.