KOCHI: The special investigation announced by the High Court, stating that more than one kilo of the one and a half kilos of gold plated on the Sabarimala Dwarapalaka sculptures is missing, has put the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board on the defensive.

The court's open statement about the possibility of the sponsor selling the original gold-plated Dwarapalaka sculptures in 2019 and the order to investigate the matter is a fatal blow to the government and the Devaswom Board.

It is reported that the Devaswom Chief Vigilance and Security Officer submitted a report in a sealed cover to the High Court, naming many of the people who were at the helm of the Devaswom at that time. The Devaswom bench comprising Justice V Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice KV Jayakumar ordered a comprehensive investigation, including the role of the authorities, due to this.

The investigation is being supervised by ADGP H Venkatesh, who is in charge of law and order. Thrissur Police Academy Assistant Director and SP S Sasidharan is the investigating officer. Aneesh (CI, Vakathanam Station), Biju Radhakrishnan (CI, Kaipamangalam), and Sunil Kumar (Inspector, Cyber ​​Station, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram) are also part of the team. The court expanded the investigation by ordering an examination of the proceedings of three decades and handing over the complaints received at the police stations to the special team. The court assessed that it can be said without a doubt that the amount of gold that has been returned is not the same as the amount that was taken to Chennai in 2019.

The court has ordered a comprehensive investigation based on the report submitted in a sealed envelope on Monday by Devaswom Vigilance SP Sunil Kumar, who conducted the preliminary investigation, and the explanation given in person. The investigation information should be confidential. The investigation should be completed and the report should be submitted within a month and a half. The Vigilance investigation should be completed by Friday. The findings can be utilised by the SIT.

Where is the rest of the gold?

The details of the gold plating of the shrine and other objects in 1998-99 are mentioned clearly in the letter sent by the finance manager of the sponsor, United Breweries. A total of 30.3 kg of gold was used then. 1.5 kg of gold was used for the Dwarapalaka sculptures. Only 394 grams of gold were used when it was brought to Chennai in 2019 and gold-plated. Unnikrishnan Potty had written a letter to the then Devaswom President on December 9, 2019, stating that there was some gold left. Potti had sought the opinion of the Devaswom Secretary on using this gold, in collaboration with the board, for the marriage of a deserving girl. It was also found that the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner had sent another letter seeking a reply on the matter. The court said that the information that the remaining gold was planned to be used for other purposes was shocking.

Using copper

The actions taken by the authorities were in violation of the Devaswom manual. It was with malicious intent that the officials at that time wrongly recorded in Mahasar that what was sent were copper plates. In a letter sent to the Devaswom in 2024 by Smart Creations, which was tasked with gold plating, it is said that the Dwarapalaka sculptures should be sent directly via Potty. This is also suspicious.