Thrissur, Oct 18 – Unnikrishnan Potti’s arrest as the main suspect in the Sabarimala gold‑plating scam has sparked a firestorm in Kerala politics. Former BJP state president K. Surendran said the state government stalled the arrest to shield powerful “big sharks.”
Surendran warns that the ongoing investigation will only scratch the surface. He says it targets a handful of senior Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials while ignoring the top political leaders. “Former Devaswom Board chief A. Padmakumar and former commissioner N. Vasu knew about the irregularities,” he told reporters. “Nothing happens in the board without the CPI(M) top leadership. Everyone in Kerala knows how the party works.”
He described the gold‑plating at Sabarimala Temple as evidence of a systematic loot of temple wealth. “The government doesn’t even know how much gold has disappeared,” Surendran said. “How could the TDB proceed with gold plating without High Court knowledge? The investigation is carefully staged to protect powerful politicians.”
On Saturday, Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials visited Potti’s home on the outskirts of Thrissur and conducted a search as part of evidence gathering. Surendran claims gold has been stolen from several major temples across the state and accuses the government of misleading the High Court.
He urges a central agency to take over the probe for transparency. Opposition leader V. D. Satheesan has echoed the same call. The SIT probe, set up by the High Court, has kept Potti in custody until Oct 30.
Two FIRs so far list ten accused, including senior TDB officials, but no political leaders. Satheesan continues to name former Devaswom Minister and CPI(M) legislator Kadakampally Surendran. In response, the former minister has served a legal notice, demanding an apology and threatening a Rs 2 crore defamation suit.
Both the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party want Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan and TDB members to step down and call for a central investigation into what they say is one of Kerala’s most serious temple‑gold scams.
Source: ianslive
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