In Thiruvananthapuram, Congress General Secretary and Alappuzha MP K.C. Venugopal called on the Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan and the Travancore Devaswom Board to resign after the Kerala High Court issued an interim order suggesting a possible criminal conspiracy over the Sabarimala gold‑plating case.
The High Court’s order came just after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) presented its first findings. The SIT has now registered two FIRs, names 10 people as accused, and has arrested one key figure, “sponsor” Unnikrishnan Potti.
Venugopal said the court’s decision clearly shows that the current Devaswom Board hid the 2019 gold theft at the Sabarimala temple. It then allowed Potti to work on the 2025 gold‑plating of the Dwarapalaka gold plates—an act the court deems suspicious and a sign of complicity at the highest levels.
“The court found a criminal conspiracy behind the gold loot,” Venugopal told reporters. “It also confirmed that the theft got the silent consent of the Devaswom Board. Records were tampered with in 2019 and again in 2025. Under these conditions, neither the Minister nor the Board has any right to stay in office,” he added.
The MP labeled the whole episode an “organised looting operation.” He accused the Board and the state government of setting up the situation that allowed the misappropriation. “It’s not just a few rogue officials. The entire system is complicit, and no one can blame only the past Board,” he warned.
Venugopal urged those in power to act responsibly. “If the Minister and the Board feel any shame, they should resign. If they defend the wrongdoing with hollow excuses, Congress will launch a major public agitation,” he threatened.
The case continues to attract scrutiny, as the High Court points to serious irregularities, and the public demands transparency and accountability over the Sabarimala gold‑plating controversy.
Source: ianslive
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