Thiruvananthapuram: N. Vijayakumar, a former Travancore Devaswom Board member and a senior CPI(M) activist and former top office-bearer of the party-backed state organisation of government employees, was taken into custody in the Sabarimala gold theft case after detailed questioning at the Crime Branch office, here on Monday. Vijayakumar was a member of the Devaswom Board when it was headed by former president A. Padmakumar. His arrest has marked a significant turn in the investigation into the Sabarimala gold theft case, with the probe now clearly expanding to examine the collective functioning of the Board during the period in question.

He appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) earlier in the day, citing what he described as unbearable pressure, while maintaining that he was innocent and had committed no wrongdoing. Investigators, however, claim to have gathered evidence suggesting that Vijayakumar was aware of the gold plates being handed over to Unnikrishnan Potti, one of the prime accused in the case.

Vijayakumar had earlier withdrawn his anticipatory bail plea, a move that followed strong observations by the Kerala High Court on the course of the investigation. The court had underlined that all members of the Devaswom Board bore equal responsibility in the alleged misappropriation of temple assets. The High Court had also sharply criticised the SIT for a “serious lapse” in not extending the probe to former Board members K.P. Shankardas and Vijayakumar, even after the arrest of Padmakumar. Following the court’s censure and the growing likelihood of arrest, both Shankardas and Vijayakumar had approached the Kollam Vigilance Court seeking anticipatory bail.

Padmakumar has told investigators that decisions related to Sabarimala were taken collectively by the Travancore Devaswom Board and its administrative committee, and not unilaterally, with several actions aligned with government directives. The SIT’s arrest of Vijayakumar is being seen as reinforcing Padmakumar’s claim that responsibility for the alleged lapses was shared by the entire Board.

The SIT had earlier issued a notice to Vijayakumar, but he failed to appear for questioning. He was later taken into custody, after which his arrest was formally recorded. His counsel said Vijayakumar maintains his innocence and had planned to present himself before the SIT on Monday.

The probe has gained a new dimension after a non-resident businessman told investigators that a transaction involving Sabarimala temple artefacts allegedly took place between accused Unnikrishnan Potti and D. Mani, raising suspicions of possible smuggling abroad. The SIT plans to question Mani to trace the missing artefacts, including five-metal idols. With Vijayakumar’s arrest, the total arrests have risen to 10.