Gold-plated claddings not removed for repair during my tenure: Ex-president of TDB

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president N Vasu on Tuesday said the gold-plated claddings of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols at Sabarimala were not removed during his tenure there.

Vasu also told reporters that he has no connection with businessman Unnikrishnan Potty, who sponsored the gold-plating works at Sabarimala.

He further said that during his tenure, he saw no reason to get the idols examined to ascertain whether they were properly gold-plated or if any of the precious metal was missing from them.

Vasu was replying to reporters' queries regarding an email sent by Potty to him on December 9, 2019, in which the sponsor stated that he had some gold balance in his possession after completing the gold work on the main door of Sabarimala Sreekovil and Dwaraplaka's and that he would like to use it for a girl's marriage who needs support in coordination with the TDB.

The email was referred to by the Kerala High Court on Monday. The court observed that it was "deeply disturbing and exposes, yet again, the extent of the impropriety involved".

"It unmistakably demonstrates the alarming manner in which certain Devaswom officials had acted in concert with Potty, betraying both the sanctity of temple property and the trust reposed in them by the devotees," the court had observed.

It had also directed the formation of an SIT to investigate alleged irregularities related to the reduced weight of gold-clad copper plates of the guardian deity idols at Sabarimala.

The weight reduction was revealed during the proceedings in court in connection with the claddings being again sent for gold-plating this year, but without informing the High Court.

During the proceedings, it was found that when the claddings were last taken out of the Lord Ayyappa shrine for gold-plating in 2019, there was a reduction in their weight by around 4.5 kg, which had not been reported by the Devaswom officials.

Last week, the court had ordered a comprehensive inventory of all valuables, including gold, at the Sabarimala temple under the supervision of retired Justice K T Sankaran.