Kerala LoP alleges delay in Sabarimala gold heist probe to ‘shield big guns’

Thiruvananthapuram: Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V.D. Satheesan on Friday accused the Pinarayi Vijayan government of deliberately slowing the investigation into the Sabarimala gold smuggling case to protect “influential individuals”, after the Kerala High Court made sharp remarks while denying bail to a key accused.

Satheesan said the court, while rejecting the bail plea of Unnikrishnan Potty and others on Thursday, had observed that “bigger guns” stood behind those arrested, indicating the possible role of powerful figures who are yet to face questioning. He claimed that statements given to investigators referred to former and sitting Devaswom Ministers and a senior leader described by former Travancore Devaswom Board president A. Padmakumar and others as “god-like”.

According to the Congress leader, the High Court’s comments show that the “procession of CPI(M) leaders heading to jail has only begun”. He pointed out that although two prominent party functionaries are already in judicial custody, the CPI(M) leadership has refused to initiate disciplinary action, insisting that it will wait for the legal process to conclude. “They refuse to act even against those arrested in the theft of Lord Ayyappa’s gold. The party fears what those in jail may reveal next,” he alleged.

Satheesan said it had now become evident that the Dwarapalaka idol of Lord Ayyappa was stolen from the Sabarimala temple complex, sold to a millionaire and replaced using a fabricated mould, with transactions involving the idol and associated gold running into crores of rupees. In a linked case, former Travancore Devaswom Board president A. Padmakumar has also been named as an accused, he noted, saying this had deepened the political fallout.

He further alleged that the Special Investigation Team was under “immense pressure” from the Chief Minister’s Office. The CMO had “directed” that former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran should not be questioned until after the Lok Sabha elections, Satheesan claimed, adding that several former Devaswom Board presidents had already named him and that the Opposition had evidence of his links with Unnikrishnan Potty. This, he said, explained the delay in questioning despite the court’s direction to probe the larger conspiracy.

Asserting that the Sabarimala gold heist would be a key campaign plank, Satheesan said the Congress would go into the Lok Sabha polls “with its head held high”. Every charge sheet filed in the case would be closely scrutinised in court, he added, stressing that the people of Kerala would not accept any attempt to dilute or delay the investigation.

(Inputs from IANS)