SIT takes former Sabarimala President A. Padmakumar into custody in the gold heist case. Separately, YouTuber KM Shajahan faces a police case for claiming police involvement and insulting ADGP S Sreejith in videos on the matter.
Former Sabarimala President in SIT Custody
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.
YouTuber Booked for Insulting Police, Making False Claims
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 notes 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.
Crowd Situation at Sabarimala Under Control Amid Probe
Meanwhile, during the ongoing probe into the Sabarimala gold theft case, authorities said on Sunday that the crowd situation at Sabrimala is entirely under control and are planning to add the number of virtual queue slots. Travancore Devaswom Board President K Jayakumar said, “The crowd situation at Sabarimala is completely under control. Even though today is Sunday, the expected rush did not occur. Devotees are fully cooperating with the arrangements. Spot booking will be regulated based on the day’s situation, and we will consider increasing the number of virtual queue slots.”
The former Travancore Devaswom Board President, A Padmakumar, was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days in the case, while the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, was reportedly taken into custody by the SIT on October 17. (ANI)
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