Kollam Vigilance Court on Friday (February 27, 2026) granted bail to former Thiruvabharanam Commissioner K.S. Baiju in Sabraimala gold theft case. Judge C.S. Mohit granted statutory bail after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a chargesheet within the mandatory 90-day period following his arrest. Having previously secured bail in a related case involving the theft of gold from the temple’s doorframe (Kattilappali), Baiju is now set to be released from prison.
The court has imposed strict conditions for his release, requiring two solvent sureties of ₹2 lakh each. Baiju is prohibited from leaving the State or entering Pathanamthitta district until further notice. Additionally, he must report to the Thiruvananthapuram Crime Branch office twice a week to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. His release comes after spending 114 days in judicial custody, following his initial arrest on November 6 last year.
While main accused Unnikrishnan Potti, former administrators, and Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru have already secured bail, others remain behind bars. Those still in judicial remand include former board members K.P. Sankaradas and N. Vijayakumar, as well as business owners Pankaj Bhandari and Govardhan. A. Padmakumar, who has already been granted bail in the doorframe case, is expected to apply for statutory bail in the “dwarapalaka” case next week as his 90-day remand period concludes. Meanwhile, the court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on K.P. Sankaradas’s bail plea on March 2 and the same day it will hear arguments regarding N. Vijayakumar’s bail application.
Published – February 27, 2026 07:37 pm IST
