Tensions are boiling in Thiruvananthapuram as the arrest of Sabarimala temple Tantri Kantaru Rajeevaru in a gold theft probe ignites a cross-party clash. After 40 days in custody, his bail has not quelled the storm, with the Vijayan government swatting down suggestions of foul play.
Law Minister P. Rajeev laid it out plainly: the SIT’s evidence-driven arrest faced zero political strings. Conspiracy talk, especially linking it to the Tantri’s Sabarimala entry protests, holds no water, he maintained.
Rajeevaru’s narrative in court painted his detention as payback for challenging the establishment on women’s rights at the shrine. The Vigilance Court disagreed with prolonged hold, granting bail absent direct theft evidence—a verdict amplifying opposition skepticism.
V.D. Satheesan is leading the inquisition, insisting the SIT reveal charge sheets and remand rationale publicly. He ties it to distraction tactics amid CPI(M) troubles, citing partisan social media boasts of the arrest as CM’s win.
Revisiting their January 11 call, UDF leaders stress equal scrutiny for all accused and high court monitoring. ‘Jail for crimes proven, but no opacity,’ they demand, framing it as a transparency battle.
The SIT’s appeal pause hints at image management, avoiding ‘Tantri persecution’ tags. Under judicial lens already, the case underscores deepening rifts, where faith, crime, and politics collide in Kerala’s public arena.