'Not any profitable case for Unnikrishnan or Vasudevan, vigilance should investigate'; Former Devaswom chief responds to Sabarimala issue

PATHANAMTHITTA: The missing gold pedestal for Dwarapalaka sculptures of Sabarimala temple was found at the house of a relative of Bengaluru businessman and the sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty. Now, former Devaswom Board President A Padmakumar has responded to the issue. Padmakumar said that the Vigilance should investigate the mystery related to the golden pedestal. Padmakumar also dismissed rumours of him having a personal relationship with the sponsor Unnikrishnan. A Padmakumar was the Devaswom Board President at the time of the controversy related to the golden pedestal incident.

“I don’t think there would be any profit for Unnikrishnan or Vasudevan from taking away the golden pedestal of the temple. Vigilance should investigate the case in depth. The new pedestal was found not to match the sculpture. It was returned, and it is for the Devaswom officials to prepare the document. I think they must have done that. All the procedures were carried out by the then Thiruvabharanam Commissioner and other officials," said Padmakumar.

Suspicion grew over the conduct of the Devaswom board after the missing golden pedestal, made of three panes of gold and other metals, was found by the Devaswom Vigilance on Saturday, from the house of Unnikrishnan Potty's sister, Mini Antharjanam, in Venjaramoodu Valiyakattakkal. It has been shifted to the strong room.

The court had earlier questioned the decision to take the gold panels of the Dwarapalaka sculptures for repair in Unnikrishnan Potty’s own ‘Smart Creations’ firm in Chennai. The panels, which weighed 42 kg at the time of repair, were later found to be four kg less.

Unnikrishnan Potty admitted that he sponsored two more pedestals for the temple. The High Court later ordered the vigilance to find the missing pedestals. The tip-off came after searches were conducted at Potty’s houses in Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru.