The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the state police chief to instruct the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to register a case concerning the missing gold from the Dwarapalaka idol at Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. The SIT, led by Additional Director General of Police ( ADGP) H Venkatesh, has been tasked with conducting an impartial inquiry and submitting its report within six weeks.
A division bench comprising Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and KV Jayakumar noted that the vigilance report revealed a substantial quantity of gold, approximately 474.9 grams, had been handed over to Unnikrishnan Potti, the sponsor of the gold-plating work. The records do not reveal that the aforesaid quantity of gold was entrusted with the Travancore Devaswom Board, the court said.
The court also suo motu included the State Police Chief as an additional respondent in the case. It directed that the report submitted by the Chief Vigilance Officer be placed before the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which must immediately forward it to the State Police Chief. The court also instructed the SIT to submit a status report of the investigation in a sealed cover once every two weeks.
The court observed that the evidence gathered so far indicates misappropriation of gold in the side frames and lintel of the Sabarimala Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum). These matters will also fall under the purview of the SIT, in addition to any other issues that may arise during the investigation, the court said.
“From the investigation so far conducted, it appears that, insofar as sideframes/lintel, similar misappropriation of gold has been carried out. It is also revealed from the report that a substantial quantity of gold, amounting to about 474.9 gm, was handed over directly to Sri Unnikrishnan Potti. The records do not reveal that the aforesaid quantity of gold was entrusted to the Travancore Devaswom Board. In view of the above revelation with regard to the sideframe/lintels, the aforesaid aspects are also to be investigated by the SIT in addition to all other aspects that may come up in the course of investigation. It would be open to the SIT to decide as to whether separate crimes have been registered insofar as Dwarapalakas as well as the lintels,” the court said.
The court restricted the probe team from communicating with the media until the investigation is completed. It also appealed to electronic and print media to avoid sensationalising the issue.
“We expect the Special Investigation Team to conduct a thorough, impartial, and expeditious investigation to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The officers of the team shall be directly answerable to this court and must conduct the investigation with utmost discretion and integrity,” the court said.
Commenting on the issue, Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan said that the loss of gold was not limited to the Dwarapalaka sculptures but included the shrine’s doors and several other areas.
The alleged loss of gold at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple came to light during the High Court’s intervention while considering a suo motu petition initiated based on a report of the Special Commissioner stating that the gold-clad copper covering of the Dwarapalaka idols and the Peedam on which the idols were fixed were removed without prior intimation to it.