CPI(M) MLA Kadakampally Surendran confirms meeting Sabarimala case accused, says no suspicion then

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) MLA Kadakampally Surendran on Thursday admitted to meeting Unnikrishnan Potty, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold loss case, on multiple occasions and said he had no reason for suspicion at the time as he was considered a devout Ayyappa devotee.

Speaking to reporters, Surendran said he had visited Potty’s house openly while he was a minister and not in a secretive manner.

He said he went there in his official car, accompanied by his gunman.

“I have no hesitation in saying that I went there. I have no hesitation whether I went there once or multiple times,” he said.

Surendran said he later spoke to his gunman, Sabu, who also confirmed the visits.

“After seeing the reports, I realised that I had gone to his house in connection with a function related to Potty’s father,” he said.

He said the visit took place seven or eight years ago, and that CPI(M) leader Raju Abraham was also present.

Surendran said that until reports related to the Sabarimala case emerged in 2025, he had viewed Potty as an untainted person.

“His behaviour towards me and my interactions with him were normal,” he said.

He said that whenever he visited Sabarimala, he used to see Potty there.

He also said that when he travelled to Bengaluru for a Malayali Samajam event, Potty had received him at the airport.

“At that time, there was nothing to suspect in interacting with him. I was not aware that he was tainted,” he said.

Surendran alleged that it was also being said that UDF convenor Adoor Prakash had met Potty multiple times.

Asked why the CPI(M) was raising allegations over a photograph of Sonia Gandhi with Potty when his similar photographs existed, he said that it was a response to the opposition’s attempt to politically weaponise the issue.

“When they raised allegations against us, such things also came out naturally,” he said.

He also said that he had attended another event in which Potty had sponsored a house under a project of the Devaswom Board.

Surendran said he did not believe that Gandhi would knowingly invite a tainted person to her residence.

“If I had known that he was tainted, I would not have met him,” he said, adding that political reactions were natural when the opposition attempted to use the issue as a weapon.

Later, Surendran reiterated his stand, saying that until reports surfaced in 2025, he had known Potty only as a devout Ayyappa devotee.