Is Anantha Subramaniam the Key to the Sabarimala Gold Scam?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Anantha Subramaniam questioned in the Sabarimala gold scam.
- Unnikrishnan Potti claims he was not the sole perpetrator.
- Investigation may expand to current Devaswom Board members.
- Protests have erupted demanding accountability.
- The SIT has a deadline of six weeks to complete its probe.
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 20 (NationPress) The investigation into the Sabarimala gold scam has ramped up with the interrogation of Anantha Subramaniam, a close confidant of the detained sponsor Unnikrishnan Potti, on Monday.
The special investigation team (SIT) conducted its questioning at the Crime Branch headquarters, placing Subramaniam alongside Potti for a joint inquiry.
As per investigators, Subramaniam allegedly played a pivotal role in physically transporting the gold-plated panels from Sabarimala to Bengaluru and subsequently to Hyderabad in 2019, during the peak of Covid travel restrictions.
He is accused of delivering these panels to Nagesh, another suspect in the ongoing investigation.
This questioning occurs just before the SIT is set to submit a comprehensive progress report to the Kerala High Court on Tuesday.
Potti has reportedly informed investigators that he did not execute the theft independently but was aided by board members and Devaswom officials.
He claimed that the conspiracy was largely formulated in Bengaluru and Chennai, asserting that he acted merely as an intermediary.
The forthcoming report is anticipated to detail findings from the SIT’s two-week operations in these cities and may expand the investigation to current Devaswom Board members, in addition to those previously in office.
The panels were entrusted to Potti by the current board in September for renewed gold plating.
The SIT has identified additional suspects linked to the broader conspiracy based in Bengaluru.
Although notices have been issued to several others for questioning, only Subramaniam has complied thus far.
Both the Congress and the BJP have initiated numerous protests demanding the resignation of Devasom Minister V.N. Vasavan and the current Board members, alongside a probe by a central agency.
The High Court has granted the SIT six weeks to finalize the investigation.