Verdict on bail petition of Potti’s second case today

T'puram: The Kollam vigilance court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Thursday on the bail plea of Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold heist case. Potti is likely to be granted statutory bail in the second case as well owing to delays in filing chargesheet.The hearing on the bail plea in the dwarapalaka (gatekeeper) case concluded on Wednesday. Potti had earlier secured bail in the case related to the misappropriation of gold in kattilapadi (door frame of sanctum sanctorum) and approached the court seeking statutory bail in the dwarapalaka case after completing 90 days in custody. Following the release of accused B Murari Babu, S Sreekumar and D Sudheesh Kumar — all former officials with Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) — Potti is also expected to be released on bail.
Investigators cited delays in evidence collection as the reason for the delay in submitting the chargesheet, despite the probe being held under high court's supervision. Scientific examination carried out by experts from Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre confirmed that the panels were not replaced, leaving the quantity of missing gold as the only unresolved aspect. At present, the special investigation team (SIT) is relying largely on the statements of the accused and information provided by the TDB, with limited scientific evidence available.Officials said a lack of conclusive material evidence could weaken the prosecution during trial. Hence the SIT is continuing its efforts to gather additional evidence, contributing to the delay in finalising the chargesheet.CPM leader A Padmakumar, who was arrested on Nov 20, may also be eligible for statutory bail if the chargesheet is not filed by Feb 20. SIT expressed concern over potential setbacks in court if the chargesheet lacks strong supporting references. Investigators also noted that the failure to recover the stolen items has so far weakened the case, enabling accused persons to seek bail.Meanwhile, several other accused, including former Thiruvabharanam vommissioner K S Baiju, approached the court seeking statutory bail. It is also learned that the enforcement directorate (ED) is preparing to question Potti if he is released on bail and will issue a summons immediately.ED questioned Murari Babu for several hours on Tuesday and released him after issuing a notice. The agency is probing his financial transactions since 2019. While he denied any financial dealings with Potti, the ED is expected to examine relevant documents and summon him again for further questioning.