(Image source from: Canva.com)
Sabarimala Ayyappan temple's backer intended to make use of the leftover gold after covering items with it for a wedding. He had requested permission for this, as revealed by court findings amid allegations of gold plates being stolen from the temple's holiest area. The details indicate that the backer, Unnikrishnan Potty, sent a letter to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on December 9, 2019. The letter stated, "I wish to inform you that I have some leftover gold with me after completing the gold work on the main entrance of the Sabarimala sanctum sanctorum and the dwarapalakar figures. I would like to use this for helping a girl’s wedding who genuinely needs assistance, in collaboration with TBD. I request your important thoughts on this matter."
On December 17, 2019, the Devaswom Secretary, responding to the letter, sought to clarify what could be done with the extra gold. Potty, who is the focus of this controversy, had gotten the TDB’s permission to fund the gold-plating of the temple's idols and valuables. The TDB gave Potty's company, Smart Creations based in Chennai, items weighing 42.8 kg. However, when the gold-coated copper plates returned to the temple, their weight unexpectedly reduced to 38.258 kg. Despite this issue, the TDB gave Potty another gold-plating project this year. The current scandal arose after the Kerala High Court ordered the prompt return of panels that were taken from the temple for repairs and criticized the TDB for ignoring the Devaswom manual and failing to inform the court-appointed Sabarimala Special Commissioner. The court stated that this event highlighted the “concerning way” Devaswom officials acted along with Unnikrishnan Potty, undermining the sacredness of temple property and the trust placed in them by the worshippers.
Earlier this week, the Court ordered the setup of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the alleged issues related to the decreased weight of the gold-covered copper plates. This came a day after the TDB vigilance recorded Potty's statement. The inquiry will be led by former Superintendent of Police S Sasidharan, with oversight by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) H Venkatesh, the chief of the Crime Branch. The team will also include three inspectors. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has called for accountability from the Kerala government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan regarding the alleged gold theft, expressing doubts about the situation. He stated, "I believe everyone in Kerala understands that something is quite wrong here. The claims that many kilos of gold appear to have been diverted are very serious. I’m pleased there's now a High Court-monitored SIT investigation. But the public is understandably worried. We have been hearing shocking details about what appears to have occurred. It seems this is part of a larger problem that has continued for years under the current administration. Accountability is essential," he remarked.
