Sabarimala Gold Loss: TDB Vigilance Report Puts 2019 Authorities Under Scanner

The Travancore Devaswom Board’s (TDB) vigilance report submitted in the Kerala High Court related to the gold plating of Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala stated that it needs to be seriously investigated if there was any pressure, encouragement, or direction from the Travancore Devaswom Board authorities in 2019. The report stated that it is a lapse on the part of the board that the Dwarapalaka idols were taken out of Sabarimala against the Devaswom Manuals. The report stated that, “investigation revealed that Unnikrishnan Potty, with the intention of cheating Travancore Devaswom Board, making unfair profit, and getting hold of the gold, has given a request to Devaswom Board for maintenance of the Dwarapalaka idols. He took the extra gold after

using it for plating and also made profit by taking these to several places in Chennai and Bangalore for Pooja. A criminal case should be registered against him and enquired”. The report also stated that all sponsorship work and offerings done by Unnikrishnan Potty, Bengaluru-based businessman, in Sabarimala Temple should be investigated. The real sponsors of should be found as Potty’s income tax details don’t show the amount. The report stated, “There needs to be investigation on the role and conspiracy of the officials, Travancore Devaswom Board officials, and others during 2019.” The report further stated that dereliction of duty on the part of officers led to the gold-clad copper plates of Dwarapalaka idols being taken out of Sabarimala and entrusted in the hands of Unnikrishnan Potty. The officers are — B. Murari Babu, then Sabarimala administrative officer; now Deputy Devaswom Commissioner, Haripad; D. Sudhiesh Kumar, former Executive officer, Sabarimala, now retired; S. Jayasree, former Travancore Devaswom Board secretary, now retired; K. Sunil Kumar, assistant engineer, PES department, Sabarimala, assistant engineer, section -1 Sabarimala; S. Sreekumar, administrative officer, Sabarimala, now retired; S. K. Baiju, former Thiruvabharanam commissioner, now retired; R. G. Radhakrishnan, former Thiruvabharanam commissioner, now retired; V. S. Rajendra Prasad, former executive officer, Sabarimala; K. Rajendran Nair, former administrative officer, Sabarimala, now retired. According to the report, Murari Babu and D. Sudhiesh Kumar wrote copper plates instead of gold-clad copper plates. “It looks like this was intentional. When asked about it to them, they couldn’t give a clear answer as to why it was written as copper, and there should be disciplinary action against them,” the report read. The report stated that former board secretary Jayasree has added copper in the order which was not there in the Devaswom Board decision, and there should be action against Jayasree. The report stated that when the Dwarapalaka idols were removed in the 2019 Mahazar prepared by then executive officer Sudhiesh Kumar, it says there was presence of Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, Devaswom smith, and Sabarimala executive engineer, but they have not signed the Mahazar. “When checked with them, they said they were not present. Even when they were not present, their names were written in the Mahazar, and it’s a serious lapse on the part of Sudhiesh Kumar. We doubt that it was written as copper plates by Sudhiesh Kumar to help Unnikrishnan Potty to take the gold,” the report said. The report also said there were lapses on part of then Thiruvabharanam Commissioner R. G. Radhakrishnan. The report said, “If he had compared the weight in the Mahazar at that time itself, this would have come out. Even after gold plating was done at Smart Creations Chennai, he left it with Unnikrishnan Potty, which was a lapse. Unnikrishnan Potty took it to several places in Chennai and Bangalore, including the house of actor Jayaram, and conducted Pooja there. There should be action against the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner after seeking his explanation.” The plates of the Dwarapalaka idols were removed on July 19, 2019, and it was taken to Bengaluru to Unnikrishnan Potty’s friend’s house, kept there for some days, and then taken to Hyderabad for maintenance. It was taken to Smart Creations for gold plating only on August 29, 2019. At present, two FIRs have been registered in the case, and the special investigation team is looking into it. Retired Justice K. T. Sankaran, appointed by the High Court to conduct an inventory of all valuables at Sabarimala, is conducting the inventory at Sannidhanam.