Thiruvananthapuram | The BJP in Kerala on Friday accused former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran of playing a key role in the alleged theft of gold from the Sabarimala temple, demanding his immediate arrest by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Surendran, who had helmed the Devaswom portfolio in the first Pinarayi Vijayan government, "conspired" with prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar to "plunder" gold dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, alleged senior BJP leader K Surendran.

Kadakampally Surendran cannot easily escape from this case, he told reporters in Kozhikode.

"The SIT's probe can be credible only if it arrested him immediately," the leader said.

His remarks came a day after the SIT probing the Sabarimala temple gold missing case arrested Padmakumar.

A former CPI(M) MLA, Padmakumar was questioned at the Crime Branch office, after which his arrest was recorded on Thursday afternoon.

According to sources, Padmakumar was arrested in connection with the disappearance of gold from the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames after he was named as an accused in the case.

Surendran dismissed Kadakampally Surendran's repeated claims of non-involvement in TDB decisions, saying his denial of responsibility is similar to that of former TDB official Padmakumar.

"Padmakumar also took the same stand when the gold missing row erupted." "Padmakumar had been claiming so far that he was just the president of the TDB and he had no knowledge about the Board's decisions. He made such a claim after indulging in all conspiracies at his own home along with Potty," he alleged.

Padmakumar served as the TDB president in 2019 when the board considered a proposal that involved handing over the gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the Sreekovil door frames to Unnikrishnan Potty for electroplating.

Although Padmakumar has denied any role in approving the proposal, the Special Investigation Team maintained that the file was processed by the board under his leadership in 2019.

Padmakumar, a senior CPI(M) leader from Pathanamthitta district, has previously represented the Konni constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

With the latest arrest, the SIT has now taken into custody five persons, including prime accused Potty and Vasu, another former TDB president, in the two cases related to gold missing from the Dwarapalaka idols and the Sreekovil door frames.