The Kollam Vigilance Court has rejected the bail plea filed by former member of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) N Vijayakumar, who remains in judicial custody in connection with the Sabarimala gold scam case.

Vijayakumar, an accused in two cases related to the alleged misappropriation of gold from the door frames and dwarapalaka idols of the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala, had sought bail citing medical grounds. However, Judge C S Mohith said the medical reasons mentioned in the petition were not satisfactory. The prosecution also informed the court that Vijayakumar would receive the best possible medical treatment available at government hospitals.

Earlier in December, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case arrested Vijayakumar. He had served as a board member during the tenure of former TDB president A Padmakumar in 2019.

So far, eight accused in the case have been released on bail. Six of them, including the first accused Unnikrishnan Potti, were granted statutory bail, while two others secured regular bail.

Those who received statutory bail include Potti, former administrative officer Murari Babu, former executive officer D Sudheesh Kumar, CPM leader and former TDB president A Padmakumar, former president and commissioner N Vasu, and former executive officer S Sreekumar. Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru and K S Baiju were granted regular bail.