Vigilance recovers documents of gold plating sheets, breakthrough in investigation

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A new breakthrough in the controversy related to the Dwarpalaka idols in Sabarimala. Documents of gold plating the sheets of the idols were found. The documents were found by vigilance from the Devaswom maramath office. The documents show Vijay Mallya gave 30.3 kg of gold as an offering in 1999. Using this gold, the roof, shrine and Dwarpalaka idols in Sabarimala were gold plated that same year.

After this, in 2019, it was found that the gold sheets on the idols had faded. A decision was taken to gold plate it again. Unnikrishnan Potty then took over the steps of gold plating the sheets. However, Unnikrishnan Potty now says that he received copper sheets at that time. However, the new documents refute his claim.

Meantime, a secret investigation has been launched against Unnikrishnan Potty, one of the sponsors involved in the maintenance of the Dwarapalaka idols in Sabarimala. It is reported that Unnikrishnan Potty has made land transactions worth crores in Thiruvananthapuram alone. The investigation has been launched based on information that he has transferred land in his own name in many places by giving money on high interest rates. Documents of land transactions worth more than Rs 30 crore were recovered.

A former Devaswom contractor is the intermediary of Unnikrishnan Potty in the capital city. It is reported that he has made land transactions in his own name, his wife's and his mother's names. More information came to light the other day in the investigation conducted by the devaswom vigilance against Unnikrishnan Potty. Following this, the vigilance has asked Unnikrishnan Potty to appear for detailed questioning tomorrow.