Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Credit: PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: While the political row over the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple gold heist aggravated with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan referring to a photograph of key accused Unnikrishnan Potti meeting AICC leader Sonia Gandhi, the investigation into the gold heist reached a crucial point as the links of a person involved in antique smuggling came under probe.
In a bid to counter the criticisms over the arrest of CPI(M) leaders in the gold heist and the criticism against the left-front government over the matter, Vijayan cited widely circulated pictures of the key accused Bengaluru-based Malayali Unnikrishnan Potti as well as Bellary-based jeweler Gowardhan with Sonia Gandhi.
Congress MPs Adoor Prakash and Anto Antony could be also seen in those pictures, which were believed to be taken in 2019.
Vijayan asked the Congress leaders to clarify the links of the gold heist accused with Congress leaders.
Prakash on Sunday reacted that he knew Potti as he was involved in Sabarimala temple related activities and charity works, but did not know about his fraudulent operations.
He also said that he did not arrange Potti's meeting with Sonia Gandhi. "Since I was in Delhi at that time, I also happened to be present when Potti met Sonia Gandhi," Prakash said.
Prakash as well as Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also countered by asking Vijayan to reveal about the conversation between him (Vijayan) and Potti as seen in another widely circulated picture.
However, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said that the picture of Potti with Pinarayi Vijayan could be a manipulated one using AI technology.
Meanwhile, the special investigation team (SIT) probing the gold heist reportedly quizzed a Tamil Nadu based person suspected to be involved in antique smuggling as a NRI businessman had told the SIT about his suspected involvement in the Sabarimala gold heist.
As per reports, the person was identified as Balamuruguan of Dindigul, also known as 'Diamond Mani'.
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, who initially mentioned the suspected involvement of the smuggler, said that a deeper investigation was required into the antique smuggler's involvement in smuggling antiques from various temples in the state.