Sabarimala gold scam: Vigilance seizes documents: Will Devaswom top brass also be implicated?

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Devaswom Board and officials are likely to be implicated in the Sabarimala gold scam. This comes after the Devaswom Vigilance raid seized the mahasar and register related to industrialist Vijay Mallya's donation of more than 30 kg of gold to Sabarimala.

What has strengthened is the suspicion that many of the valuable assets, including gold received as a gift, have been stolen over the past quarter of a century. Vigilance has taken steps to submit the seized documents to the High Court. With this, the Travancore Devaswom Board has come forward with a public stance that it will seek an investigation from the High Court. In the controversy related to the Dwarapalaka sculptures, the board justified that the gold was not lost and was in the strong room.

The recovered documents show that the Dwarapalaka sculptures are indeed covered in gold. The Devaswom Board has been trying to establish that it was the sponsor, Unnikrishnan Potty, who committed fraud. By recovering the 1998-99 Mahasar and Register, Vigilance has uncovered a fraud committed by forging documents in 2019.

In 2019, the Devaswom Board, headed by A Padmakumar, gave permission to remove the layers of the sculpture and coat them with gold. Fourteen layers, including the pedestal, were removed in the presence of the Sabarimala Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, Devaswom Smith, and Sabarimala Head Clerk. It was recorded in the Mahasar and the register that these were copper plates.

Documents not handed over, raids at four places

• Despite the request of the Vigilance, which is conducting an investigation as per the High Court's directive, the board authorities were not ready to hand over the documents related to gold plating by Vijay Mallya
• The documents were seized during raids, led by SP D Sunil Kumar, conducted at the Devaswom Board's headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram, office in Sannidhanam, office in Pathanamthitta and in Aranmula, where a strong room has been set up
• There are allegations that irregularities were committed in the removal of domes for gold wrapping and the repair of bells in 1998. Eight years ago, the Vajivahana idol on the old flagpole was removed to install a new gold flagpole. It is not known where the idol is now

Court intervention in Yoga Danda Stick

The Yoga Danda Stick and Rudraksha Mala, which adorn Lord Ayyappa when the temple is closed after the Mandala Makaravilakku pilgrimage and monthly pujas, were taken to Chennai for renovation in 2023. The Sabarimala Special Commissioner had submitted a report to the court then also. It was then that a strict order was issued not to carry out such activities without informing the court. The gold bars were taken to Chennai without the court's knowledge while this order was in effect.