Gold theft took place in Sabarimala temple: Devaswom vigilance report

The interim investigation report submitted by the Devaswom vigilance to the Kerala High Court in the gold missing controversy reportedly states that gold robbery took place in Sabarimala temple.

The Vigilance’s crucial finding is that the gold in the gold-plated layers was stolen and the incident smacks of a huge conspiracy. The Devaswom Vigilance has found that there has been a huge reduction of gold in the gold -covered layers of the Dwarapalaka sculptures in the Sabarimala temple.

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When gold-covered layers were handed over to Unnikrishanan Potty in 2019, the weight of the gold layer was one and a half kilograms. However, when those were returned, there was only 394 grams of gold in them, states the vigilance report.

The Devaswom Vigilance totally rejects the claims of the Travancore Devaswom Board and sponsor Potty that when the layers were handed over to the latter in 2019, they were of copper. Potty’s defense so far has been based on this. However, the Devaswom Vigilance has found that UB Group Chairman Vijay Mallya had donated one and a half kilos of gold for layering on the DwaraPalaka sculptures alone during 1998-99.

Four kilos of gold were coated on the eight layers installed in the shrine. Out of the eight layers, two side layers and all the layers of the Dwarapalaka sculpture were handed over to Potty in 2019. All of them were coated in gold. When Potty returned the layers of the Dwarakapalaka sculptures, only 394 grams of gold was there. The weight of gold in the side layers needs to be determined, the Vigilance report says.

The Devaswom Vigilance report confirms that the gold offered to Sabarimala temple by devotees was stolen. Now, the task to find out the culprits behind this theft goes to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Kerala High Court on Monday.

The SIT, headed by a police officer in the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), will probe the alleged disappearance of gold at the Dwarapalaka idols in Sabarimala.