Thiruvananthapuram, Nov. 21 -- The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the theft of gold from the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple on Friday conducted a raid at the residence of former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar in Aranmula. Investigators suspect that the conspiracy behind the gold heist may have been hatched at his residence.

Padmakumar, who appeared before the SIT on Thursday morning for questioning, was arrested later that evening after a marathon interrogation session. His arrest marks a significant shift in the political landscape surrounding the case.

Until now, the CPI(M) had distanced itself from the controversy, repeatedly asserting that neither the party nor the state government had any role in the Sa...