Kochi

Sabarimala Gold Plating Scam: 474.9 Grams of Gold Missing, High Court Orders Probe

Kochi: The High Court has revealed that 474.9 grams of gold went missing from the gold plating at Sabarimala. The court emphasized the need for an impartial investigation into the findings of the Vigilance report and has added the State Police Chief as a party to the case. This directive came after the court reviewed the final report submitted by the Devaswom Vigilance.

The investigation revealed that gold was handed over to Unnikrishnan Potti for plating, as per the Devaswom Commissioner’s instructions. However, the official record (mahazar) documented the items as ‘copper plating’ rather than ‘gold’. When the sculptures were subsequently delivered to Smart Creations, they still contained gold plating. Potti reportedly instructed the removal of this gold. The High Court observed that a clear discrepancy of 474.9 grams of gold was evident in the process.

Further details indicate that this gold was transferred from Smart Creations to Potti, but Potti has not yet remitted it to the Devaswom Board. The court has mandated an impartial investigation into these allegations and findings, requiring bi-weekly updates on the investigation’s progress and a comprehensive report within six weeks.

The Devaswom Vigilance report explicitly states that the gold and copper plates from Sabarimala were illicitly sold in Bangalore, with Unnikrishnan Potti allegedly serving as an intermediary. The 20-page report highlights a significant conspiracy that unfolded from 2016, culminating in the events of 2019. Crucial intelligence regarding the sale of these precious materials in Bangalore has been secured by the Devaswom Vigilance.

The court has taken a direct interest in the proceedings, seeking information directly from the investigating officer, S. Sasidharan, and providing specific directives to the investigative team. The Devaswom Bench also engaged directly with the Vigilance Security Officer for further insights.

Among the High Court’s directives, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is authorized to examine irregularities in the gold plating of the lintel and side frames, in addition to the copper plates of the dwarapalaka sculptures. The SIT retains the autonomy to decide whether to register separate cases for these investigations. Smart Creations had initially stated that it was not feasible to re-plate the copper plates brought to Chennai with gold, as they already contained gold. However, under Unnikrishnan Potti’s insistence, the existing gold was extracted. Citing the Vigilance Officer’s report, the court highlighted that the copper plates were subsequently re-plated with gold, and the fate of the remaining 474.9 grams of gold handed over requires thorough investigation. Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and K.V. Jayakumar’s bench consequently ordered a comprehensive probe into the gold plating controversy.

The controversy first surfaced when the copper plates of the dwarapalaka sculptures were transported to Chennai for gold plating without the knowledge of the Sabarimala Devaswom Commissioner and without the requisite High Court approval. Following this, the court instructed the Vigilance Officer to conduct an inquiry. The Vigilance Officer’s report subsequently revealed that similar gold plating work had been carried out in Chennai in 2019. Upon detailed scrutiny, the court discovered a shortfall of approximately four and a half kilograms in the weight of the items brought to Chennai compared to their original recorded weight. Furthermore, it was noted that it took an unusual 39 days for these items to reach Chennai from Sannidhanam.

During this period, sponsor Unnikrishnan Potti made a claim that the pedestal of the dwarapalaka sculptures he had gold-plated and returned was missing. A subsequent thorough search of the strong room, where Sabarimala’s valuable articles are stored, by the Vigilance Officer failed to locate the pedestal. It was eventually discovered at Unnikrishnan Potti’s sister’s residence. The court also expressed suspicion regarding a letter from Unnikrishnan Potti, which suggested the presence of another dwarapalaka sculpture in the strong room that could be used to extract gold and reduce costs. The court ordered an investigation into this matter as well; however, the Vigilance Officer found no evidence of such a sculpture.

Further examination of the 2019 gold plating procedures by the court brought to light additional irregularities. It was revealed that in 1998-99, Vijay Mallya’s company had gold-coated the door frames, and the dwarapalaka sculptures were similarly covered. However, when the gold plates were taken to Chennai in 2019, they were inexplicably recorded as copper plates. Deeming these extensive irregularities as “shocking,” the court ordered a formal case to be registered and an investigation to be launched. The court itself oversaw the selection of members for the special investigative team, which is led by ADGP H. Venkatesh.

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