Sabarimala gold case: Former TDB president Vasu accused of omitting key facts

Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Nov 12 (PTI) The SIT has told a court in Ranni that former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president N Vasu deliberately left out crucial details about missing gold from the Sabarimala temple in a report he submitted to the board.

Vasu, who earlier served as the Board's Commissioner before becoming its president, has been named as the third accused in the case over the disappearance of gold from the door frames of the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) and its surrounding halo at the hill shrine.

The Special Investigation Team said Vasu, who allegedly committed the offence while serving as Devaswom Commissioner, was arrested on Tuesday and is now in judicial custody.

According to the remand report, in a letter sent to the Travancore Devaswom Secretary on March 6, 2019, Vasu intentionally omitted the fact that the items had been gold-plated earlier and instead described them as "copper sheets".

The then Devaswom Board approved the report as such. Based on that approval, the Board Secretary later issued an order sending the door frames to the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, for gold plating.

Potty is an accused in two cases related to the disappearance of gold from the gold-clad plates of the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the door frames of the sreekovil of the temple. Besides Potty, the SIT has also arrested two senior officials and a retired officer in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, the Congress has intensified its protest against the Left government and the TDB, demanding that all those involved in the alleged gold theft be brought to justice.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said the Congress would not rest until everyone linked to the case -- including Vasu's alleged political backers -- is held accountable.

Speaking at a dharna organised by the KPCC near Secretariat, Venugopal demanded the arrest of all suspects and the resignation of the Devaswom Minister.

He accused the Devaswom Boards of respective periods being involved in gold thefts between 2019 and 2025.

"Despite the removal of gold revered by Ayyappa devotees from Sabarimala, neither the Chief Minister nor the Devaswom Minister has spoken a word. Nothing in the state happens without Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's knowledge," Venugopal alleged. PTI TGB TGB KH