Sabarimala gold-plating row: Unnikrishnan Potty appears before Kerala Devaswom Vigilance Board for questioning
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Unnikrishnan Potty, the man being investigated for alleged irregularities in the gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala, appeared before the Devaswom Board Vigilance on Sunday. This is his second day in court‑style questioning. Yesterday, officers spent four hours pressing him on how he raised money for the plating work.
The investigators asked him about the money he gathered from other devotees to finance the gold covering of the Dwarapalaka idols. Potty says the idols were taken out for plating in 2019. He also claimed on live TV that plaques he had donated to the temple were missing. Those statements triggered the Kerala High Court to order the Devaswom Board’s vigilance wing to look into the matter. In September, the board located the missing artefacts in Potty’s sister’s house in Thiruvananthapuram.
The case also touches on a large gold donation from industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998. The Devaswom Board said key documents about Mallya’s gifts disappeared from the Sabarimala Executive Office, raising further suspicion.
Opposition leaders have not stayed silent. VD Satheesan, a key figure in Kerala’s Assembly, blasted the allegations and urged swift action against those involved, calling the situation a robbery of “Swami Ayyappa gold.” He warned the government would protest if the board failed to act and pointed the finger at both former and current Devaswom board presidents and ministers.
In response, Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan said a thorough probe is underway under the High Court’s supervision. He noted that because the pedestal was found in Potty’s house, the evidence had become clear, and that further details will emerge as the investigation continues. He also suggested that some opposition claims were attempts to divert attention from the real wrongdoing. The minister added that his own influence is also being scrutinized. ()
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