Lagatar24 Desk
Thiruvananthapuram: A court document has revealed that Unnikrishnan Potty, the sponsor of the gold-plating work at Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, sought permission to use leftover gold to fund a girl’s wedding, exposing a troubling angle in the ongoing missing gold case involving 4.54 kg of temple gold.
Email Exposes Unusual Request
An email dated December 9, 2019, sent by Potty to the President of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), stated that gold remained after the completion of gold work on the temple’s sanctum sanctorum door and the Dwarapalaka idols. Potty wrote, “I would like to use it for a girl’s marriage who needs support and genuine, in coordination with TBD. Please give your valuable opinion in this regard.”
This email came after the Dwarapalaka refixation on August 11, 2019. Following his request, TDB officials sought reports from the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner and the Executive Officer. On December 17, 2019, the TDB Secretary issued a letter seeking clarity on how the excess gold should be handled.
Court Slams Devaswom Officials
The Kerala High Court termed these revelations “disturbing,” criticising the coordination between Potty and certain Devaswom officials. It stated that their actions betrayed the sanctity of temple property and devotees’ trust.
Earlier investigations found that Chennai-based Smart Creations, tasked with gold-plating under Potty’s sponsorship, returned only 38 kg of the 42.8 kg of gold received, leaving a 4.54 kg shortfall. The Vigilance wing of the TDB also recovered the pedestal of the Dwarapalaka from a relative’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram.
The High Court has ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by ADGP H Venkatesh to probe the case within a month. The SIT is examining discrepancies in the gold plating work and has been directed not to interact with the media during the probe.
