Sabarimala Gold Plate Weight Loss: Kerala High Court Orders Detailed Probe
Kochi: The Kerala High Court has ordered a detailed investigation into the reported reduction in the weight of gold plates at the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple. The High Court has directed the Devaswom Vigilance to submit its investigation report within three weeks and instructed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to fully cooperate with the probe. Additionally, directions have been issued to verify whether the supporting pedestals of the Dwarpala (door guardian) sculptures are stored in the strong room. These observations were made by the High Court Devaswom Bench while considering the case related to the gold plates.
The court noted that in 2019, when the gold plates were transported to Chennai for gilding, their recorded weight was 42 kilograms. However, upon their return, a significant reduction of four kilograms in the weight of the gold plates was observed. The Devaswom Chief Security Officer presented this crucial information directly before the court on behalf of the Devaswom.
The Devaswom Chief Security Officer provided the court with detailed information regarding the properties at Sabarimala. It was during the rigorous examination of these documents that the court raised pertinent questions, specifically inquiring why the weight of the gold plates was not thoroughly checked when they were brought back to Sabarimala.
In connection with the ongoing controversy surrounding the gold plates, Unnikrishnan Potty, the project sponsor, revealed that he had provided an additional pedestal for the Dwarpala sculptures. He stated that a second pedestal was crafted for the sculptures using three pavan (a traditional unit of gold weight) of gold. This new pedestal was constructed when the original ones began to fade. However, the Devaswom later informed him of a discrepancy in the measurements. Potty clarified that since it was an offering, he did not request its return. He had initially believed that the pedestal would be kept in the strong room, but its current location remains unclear. He further added that inquiries about the pedestal during maintenance work yielded no satisfactory response, concluding, “Let the vigilance investigation proceed.”