The Special Investigation Team probing the Sabarimala gold theft case has reportedly recorded the statement of actor Jayaram, questioning him at his residence in Chennai as part of efforts to strengthen the case by listing him as a witness.
According to reports, the investigators mainly sought details about Jayaram’s links with Unnikrishnan Potty, the prime accused. In his statement, the actor has reportedly said he has been undertaking the Sabarimala pilgrimage for nearly four decades and that his familiarity with Potty developed through these annual visits.
When the initial details related to the gold theft came out, photographs showing the gold plates being brought to Jayaram’s residence and his participation in pujas along with Potty became a subject of wide discussion.
After the gold plate of the Dwarapalaka idol taken from Sabarimala in 2019 was completed, it was brought to Jayaram’s Chennai home for prayers. Jayaram had also taken part in the puja ceremony of the Kattilappala plates held at a Chennai-based firm Smart Creations.
As per the reports the actor said he had participated in these rituals purely in his capacity as an Ayyappa devotee and claimed he had no knowledge that Potty was involved in any fraudulent activities.
The SIT’s move comes amid growing concern that the delay in the investigation may benefit the key accused in the case. Unnikrishnan Potty, arrested on October 17 in the Dwarapalaka idol fraud case, is also accused in the gold plate theft. While his arrest in the second case was recorded on November 3, the failure to file a charge sheet within the stipulated 90 days has made him eligible for statutory bail.
On January 27, the Kerala High Court sharply criticised the SIT over repeated delays in filing charge sheets, warning that such lapses undermine public trust in the probe. Justice A. Badaruddin observed that accused persons securing release by default casts serious doubt on the credibility of the investigation.
The court noted that 13 people have been arrested across the two cases so far and that one accused has already obtained statutory bail. It also pointed out that Murari Babu, former administrative officer of the Devaswom Board and an accused in both the Dwarapalaka and Kattilappala cases, had earlier secured similar relief. The bench flagged that Unnikrishnan Potty, already out on bail in the Dwarapalaka case, would qualify for statutory bail in the Kattilappala case as the deadline expires on February 2.