Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday, October 22 said that President Droupadi Murmu, who visited Sabarimala temple, was shocked to learn about the ongoing gold theft controversy at the shrine. He informed the President about the alleged irregularities and called for strict action and transparency in temple administration. Chandrasekhar has also urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to order a central agency probe into the Sabarimala gold theft case, calling for an investigation into all financial transactions at the temple over the past 30 years. He said a transparent inquiry is vital to restore devotees' confidence in the temple's integrity and management. Chandrashekhar also alleged that the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has turned into an organisation of brokers and accused both the Congress and CPI(M) of years of mismanagement and alleged looting. He urged strict action against those involved and demanded complete transparency in temple administration.

The former Union Minister also demanded the resignation of Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan and the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board, accusing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of attempting to“brush the issue under the carpet.” 

What Did The Court Observe?

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court has directed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged criminal conspiracy involving TDB officials in the case. The court criticised the TDB for entrusting gold-plated Dwarapalaka sculptures to Unnikrishnan Potty, who was earlier linked to the 2019 gold robbery. It questioned whether the same gold-plated items were returned, as records falsely described them as copper and no proper weight verification was conducted.

The court noted several procedural lapses, including the failure to record the weight of the plates in the mahazar and their omission from the Thiruvabharanam register when the pedestal was returned in 2021. It observed that the 2024 tarnish on the supposedly 40-year-warranty gold plating raised serious doubts about attempts to cover up earlier irregularities. The court also pointed out contradictions in the Devaswom Commissioner's stance - initially stating that Smart Creations lacked the expertise for gold plating but reversing the position eight days later under instructions from TDB President P.S. Prasanth to expedite the work. The SIT has been ordered to seize and preserve the Travancore Devaswom Board's minutes book and investigate the involvement of all officials“from top to bottom” in the alleged conspiracy.

(With ANI inputs)

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