Whereas Congress by no means questioned its authenticity, Prakash clarified that he has not been summoned for questioning up to now. He claimed that the experiences of the interrogation had been orchestrated by the Prime Minister’s Workplace and his political secretary, however the CMO denied this accusation via an official assertion.
This got here a day after the SIT questioned senior CPI(M) chief and former Devaswam minister Kadakampally Surendran. Former TDB chairman and CPI(M) member PS Prasanth additionally confronted the SIT grill.
On Thursday, Congress normal secretary and Alappuzha MP KCVenugopal alleged that there was large stress on the SIT officers.
“Even when the SIT is constituted by a Excessive Court docket order, the officers are of the Kerala authorities. The general public is watching. It is going to be counterproductive if a outstanding individual is protected,” he mentioned, including that there have been delays and stress over the SIT’s timeline and that the investigation ought to have already concluded.
Venugopal asserted that the folks “know the actual mastermind behind the scandal” and added that the social gathering isn’t afraid of the SIT. Surendran’s cross-examination has been postponed until the outcomes of municipal polls are out, he added.
In 2019, TDB, with the patronage of Bengaluru businessman Unnikrishnan Poti, gold-plated the Sabarimala idol and pedestal. Nonetheless, after allegations of gold scarcity of greater than 4 kg emerged, the Kerala Excessive Court docket took word of the problem and ordered an SIT probe in October final yr.
Whereas Surendran claimed that he was questioned in view of his standing as a former Devaswaham minister, CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan mentioned the social gathering would by no means defend any accused.
“We by no means think about who’s accused and who isn’t. Neither the social gathering nor the federal government will defend the accused,” he mentioned on Thursday, including that the Congress had no drawback with the investigation however raised suspicions after info surfaced in regards to the involvement of certainly one of its personal leaders.
He mentioned the Congress ought to clarify how Potti was in a position to meet Sonia Gandhi.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan additionally raised his gun in Parliament, saying the social gathering ought to clarify how Potti met its high-alert chief Sonia. “Is Adoor Prakash the form of one who will go wherever simply because Potti calls him? The opposition has no reply as to who facilitated this assembly,” he mentioned.
Earlier within the day, Industries Minister P. Rajeev had claimed that the Congress was scared because the SIT probe would reveal contradictions courting again to the UDF’s tenure earlier than the Left got here to energy in 2016.
Additionally learn: The Sabarimala authorities has been in limbo because the Nineteen Sixties.
controversy
In line with paperwork accessible from the Kerala Excessive Court docket, 12 gold-coated copper plates and two plinths, totaling 42,800 kg, had been transported to Chennai-based Good Creations for gold plating. This stuff had been gold plated in 1998 utilizing 1.564 kg of gold.
A routine inspection revealed “severe irregularities” in that the products took 39 days to succeed in the corporate in Chennai. Moreover, the doc states that the load of the merchandise after being returned was solely 38.258 kg.
The courtroom discovered that the discrepancy was not formally recorded, which is a compulsory process. Data from 2019 additionally confirmed that objects given to Potti had been labeled “copper” despite the fact that they had been gold-plated in 1998.
However, Potti was commissioned to gold plate once more in September 2025 after TDB officers recorded that: Dwaraparakas (carvings of guardian deities on either side of the principle shrine) wanted restore the earlier yr. This was regardless of the Devaswam Committee sub-group guide prohibiting shifting sacred artefacts outdoors the temple premises for repairs, the courtroom mentioned in its observations.
Throughout the switch, TDB officers seen discrepancies within the 2019 switch, together with labeling. Discovered one other set Dwaraparakas The 2 went lacking from a safe room on the shrine and had been later traced to Potti’s sister’s home in Thiruvananthapuram in October.
On October 6, the HC took cognizance of this and ordered an SIT probe 4 days later. A sequence of arrests quickly adopted that month and the next. The bail utility is scheduled to be heard on January 7, after which the SIT will submit an up to date standing report.
(Edited by Tony Lai)
Additionally learn: With voting season simply across the nook, the Sabarimala cash ‘theft’ has brought about a stir in Kerala. UDF takes on ruling LDF
