Kerala CM alleges conspiracy behind Sabarimala controversy

New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday alleged a conspiracy behind the Sabarimala controversy and said all those involved in the misappropriation of gold from the hill shrine will fall into the hands of the law.

Less than three hours after the Kerala High Court directed the state police to register a criminal case in the Sabarimala gold issue, Vijayan, addressing the media in the national capital, said that so far no lapses have been found on the part of the Travancore Devasom Board (TDB).

Sabarimala temple is under the administrative control of the TDB.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been set up to look into the misappropriation of gold, and Vijayan, who is heading the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), alleged that there was a conspiracy to sabotage the recently held Sabarimala conclave.

Mentioning Unnikrishnan Potty, whose revelation about certain missing gold works from the hill shrine led to the inquiry, the chief minister said all aspects of the conspiracy need to be looked into.

Linking Unnikrishnan to the controversy, Vijayan cited the recovery of a missing item from his relative’s residence.

A few days before the Sabarimala conclave, Unnikrishnan had told the media about the missing item, and the Opposition parties used this issue to target the government's Sabarimala conclave held at Pamba on September 22.

"There was a conspiracy, and some elements wanted to sabotage the recently concluded Sabarimala conclave, and the sequence of events should be taken into consideration," Vijayan said.

Indicating that there is a "political conspiracy" behind the Sabarimala controversy, the chief minister asserted that the investigation will bring out "who were all involved directly, who all helped from outside... and who were all involved from outside".

Everyone who was involved will fall into the hands of the law, Vijayan said.

On Friday, the Kerala High Court directed the state police to register a criminal case in connection with the "misappropriation of gold" from the "side frame or lintels" of the shrine and launch an investigation.

"It appears that insofar as the side frames or lintels are concerned, misappropriation of gold has been carried out," a bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar said.

Further, the bench said it was revealed from the vigilance report placed before it that "substantial quantity of gold -- amounting to about 474.9 grams -- was handed over to Unnikrishnan Potty (the sponsor who offered to carry out the gold-plating)".

"However, the records do not reveal that this quantity of gold was entrusted with the TDB (by him)," it said.

The bench directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by it to probe the side frame/lintels issue also along with all the other aspects that come up during their inquiry. PTI RAM DRR