The Kerala High Court on Monday ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged theft of gold from the Sabarimala temple, directing that the inquiry be kept strictly confidential with no information leaked to the public.
Former SP To Lead Probe, ADGP To Supervise
According to the court’s order, the SIT will be led by former Superintendent of Police S. Sasidharan and will function under the supervision of Crime Branch Chief and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) H. Venkatesh. The team will include three inspectors, among them cyber experts, to ensure a comprehensive investigation.
The Devaswom Bench of the High Court emphasized that the probe must be conducted “in complete secrecy” and instructed the officers to avoid any leaks during the investigation.
Origins Of The Controversy
The issue dates back to 2019, when gold-lined copper plates were removed by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) from the temple for maintenance. The matter resurfaced recently after Unnikrishnan Potti, who sponsored the gold-plating works, alleged that two gold-plated panels donated in 2019 were missing from the temple strongroom.
The allegations surfaced just before the TDB-sponsored Global Ayyappa Sangamam event, adding to the controversy. Though the TDB Vigilance later recovered the “missing” items, it was claimed that the weight of the plates had reduced by around 5 kilograms, raising suspicions of tampering.
Statements & Political Reactions
Kerala Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan confirmed that the TDB Vigilance would submit its preliminary report to the High Court on October 8.
“Today, the opposition staged a big, futile effort to create a controversy. Based on the High Court’s directive, the Devaswom Vigilance is conducting an investigation. The preliminary report will be submitted to the court tomorrow (October 6),” the minister said at a press conference.
Earlier, on October 5, the TDB Vigilance had recorded the statement of Unnikrishnan Potti at its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. Potti, who was questioned for nearly three hours, declined to answer media queries, stating, “Don’t I have freedom as an individual? Everything will be proven before the High Court. Don’t I have the right to move freely? The truth will prevail.”
Court Rebuke & Political Pressure
The controversy intensified after the High Court criticised the TDB for violating procedural norms by sending gold-plated panels for restoration to Hyderabad and Chennai without informing the court-appointed Sabarimala Special Commissioner. The court also ordered the immediate return of all such items sent out for repairs.
Both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have announced statewide protests, demanding a CBI-monitored investigation into the alleged irregularities.
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