Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team has arrested Govardhan, owner of Roddam Jewellers at Ballari, in connection with siphoning off gold belonging to Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy temple in the guise of polishing it.
The SIT has also recovered over 400 gms of gold, said to be handed over to Govardhan by the prime accused in the case Unnikrishnan Potti of Bengaluru.
Unnikrishnan Potti, while serving as priest at Sabarimala Ayyappa temple had taken up polishing of the gold plates belonging to the temple. While returning the gold plates, it is said that 4 kg of gold was missing from the plates.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the polishing had been taken up by Smart Creation company in Chennai and the SIT had arrested its CEO Pankaj Bhandari. The total arrest in the case has gone up to nine now.
