Central agencies can intervene in Sabarimala gold loss issue: George Kurian

Union Minister George Kurian on Saturday said that central agencies can intervene in the Sabarimala gold theft case if there is a black money angle and that "Lord Ayyappa will not spare" those involved in the irregularities.

Kurian, the Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Minority Affairs, said that since an FIR has been lodged in connection with the irregularities, central agencies can intervene as per law.

"The intervention will not be political. It will be as per law. I believe they (agencies) will do it," he said.

He claimed that those arrested in connection with the irregularities were all "atheists" as "they went with a smile, content in the knowledge that they have carried out their ideological duties".

Kurian alleged that the CPI(M) leadership looted the gold "so that there is no poverty in the party".

"But there is no need to be concerned, Lord Ayyappa will not spare anyone," he said.

Kurian was responding to reporters' queries here about the recent arrest of CPI(M) leader and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar in connection with the irregularities in the gold plating of artefacts of the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala.

He said there was nothing surprising about the arrest.

Padmakumar was the TDB president in 2019 when the board considered a proposal to hand over the gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames to prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty for electroplating.

Although Padmakumar maintained that he was not the board president when the gold-clad plates were actually handed over to Potty, the Kerala HC appointed SIT contends that the proposal was processed during his tenure.

Apart from Padmakumar, the SIT has arrested five others, including prime accused Potty and former TDB president N Vasu, in two cases related to gold lost from dwarapalaka idols and sreekovil door frames.