The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sensational alleged theft of gold from the revered Sabarimala temple in Kerala on Tuesday interrogated senior CPI(M) leader and former minister Kadakampally Surendran for a period of two hours. This marks a significant escalation in the high-profile case that has already seen the arrest of 10 individuals, including three prominent leaders from Kerala's ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Political Figures Under Scanner
Surendran, who currently serves as a legislator from the Kazhakkoottam Assembly constituency, held the portfolio of Devaswom (Temple Affairs) Minister in the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. The alleged theft is said to have occurred during his tenure. The SIT, constituted by the Kerala High Court, has been methodically investigating the scandal and has already taken into custody senior party leader A Padmakumar, the former president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in 2019. The TDB is the government-appointed body that manages the temple's affairs.
Apart from Surendran, the investigation team also questioned CPI(M) leader P S Prasanth, who resigned from the post of TDB president just last month. Notably, it was during Prasanth's term that the board attempted to hand over temple artefacts for gold covering to the key accused in the case, Unnikrishnan Potty.
The Core of the Allegation
The SIT's investigation has revealed a troubling sequence of events. The Dwarapalaka idols and the door frames of the temple's sanctum sanctorum, which had already undergone gold plating back in 1998-1999, were handed over to Unnikrishnan Potty for another round of gold plating. Potty, who had previously worked at the temple as an assistant to priests, presented himself as a sponsor for the work. When these items were eventually returned to the temple, authorities allegedly discovered that approximately 4 kilograms of gold was missing.
Furthermore, the probe has uncovered that the TDB leadership was allegedly aware that the already gold-plated items were deliberately recorded as mere copper plates in the records when they were transferred to Potty. This misrepresentation is a central part of the criminal cases registered by the SIT.
Arrests and Political Repercussions
The list of arrested CPI(M) leaders includes A Vasu, a former president and commissioner of the TDB, and N Vijayakumar, a party leader who served as a TDB member. Vijayakumar, arrested on Monday, is accused of conspiring with Unnikrishnan Potty regarding the handing over of the temple artefacts. The political fallout has been immediate and severe. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has alleged that the theft occurred under political protection, stating, "Three CPI(M) leaders have been jailed in the scandal. Nobody will believe that the minister was not privy to the developments."
The scandal became a major talking point during the recent local body elections, with opposition parties heavily campaigning on the issue. However, the CPI(M) state leadership has downplayed its electoral impact. Party state secretary M V Govindan remarked that while opposition campaigns were widespread, they did not yield the expected results.
In a related development, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail pleas of former TDB president A Padmakumar and Govardhan, a gold showroom owner from Bellary, who are both accused in the case. After his questioning, Kadakampally Surendran told the media that he had cooperated fully with the SIT, sharing all details known to him. He added, "A minister need not be familiar with the developments related to gold plating of temple items." The SIT continues its investigation into the intricate details of the case that has shaken the state.
