Travancore Board seeks full probe into Sabarimala gold plating row
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Thiruvananthapuram: Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P. S. Prasanth on Thursday said the Kerala High Court will be informed of all developments in the Sabarimala gold plating controversy, adding that the Board will seek a comprehensive probe covering events since 1999.
“Potti has now fallen into the pit that he had dug,” Prasanth said, referring to Unnikrishnan Potti, who had mobilized large sums of money in the name of gold plating work at the temple.
The controversy has escalated with fresh revelations about Potti’s financial dealings. Intelligence officials are examining his multi-crore land transactions, with evidence suggesting that he had allegedly acquired properties and extended loans across the state. A former Devaswom contractor in Thiruvananthapuram is suspected to have acted as his intermediary.
The Devaswom Vigilance is expected to question Potti on Saturday. Investigators have flagged serious irregularities, including missing records relating to the gold plating of the ‘dwarapalaka’ (guardian deity) idols and the unexplained disappearance of a pedestal.
According to records, the gold sheets were removed on July 20, 2019, but were sent to Chennai-based Smart Creations only after a 40-day delay. On their return, four kilograms of gold were found missing, a discrepancy that was not noted in the official ‘mahasar’ (inventory). Devaswom staff are also likely to face accountability for the lapse.
Vigilance officials said Potti, while presenting himself as a sponsor, carried out large-scale fundraising in the name of Sabarimala. There are also suspicions that the gold sheets were transported to Bengaluru in violation of regulations as part of this exercise.
Adding to the controversy, Potti organized a Sabarimala event in Chennai attended by popular actor Jayaram, drawing attention to his high-profile activities around the temple project.
With Prasanth calling for a probe dating back to 1999, questions have arisen over the role of successive TDB presidents. Of the past 26 years, CPI(M)-led Left nominees have held the post for 16 years, while Congress-led UDF nominees have headed it for 10 years, prompting speculation over whether all is well within the CPI(M).