Explore Business Standard
Associate Sponsors
Co-sponsor
Sabarimala
A vigilance court here on Wednesday granted statutory bail to former TDB president A Padmakumar in the case related to alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols of the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala, sources said. Padmakumar had already gotten statutory bail in the case related to the alleged misappropriation of gold from the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) at the temple, and therefore, he is likely to come out of jail by evening. The former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president is the eighth accused in the matter to come out of jail on bail, the sources said. Padmakumar is a former CPI(M) MLA and had served as TDB president when the decision was taken to hand over Sabarimala artefacts for replating to prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti in 2019. He is the 11th accused in the Dwarapalaka gold loss case. Both cases are being probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Kerala High Court.
A court here on Friday granted statutory bail to a former TDB official in connection with the Sabarimala gold loss case. Kollam Vigilance Court Judge Mohit CS granted bail to former Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornament) Commissioner K S Baiju in the case related to the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) plates, as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a charge sheet within 90 days of his arrest. Baiju is the seventh accused in the Dwarapalaka case. Earlier, on February 12, the same court had granted the former Travancore Devaswom Board official bail in a second case related to the alleged loss of gold from the doorframes of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum), in which he is the fourth accused. With bail granted in both cases, Baiju is expected to be released from jail soon. He is the seventh person to be released on bail in connection with the case, police said. The SIT had alleged that gold artefacts were handed over to the prime accused, Unnikri
The Supreme Court on Monday said that a nine-judge bench will commence final hearing on a batch of petitions relating to discrimination against women in religions and at religious places, including Kerala's Sabarimala Temple. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said the bench, which will be constituted by the CJI, will commence the crucial hearing on the petitions on April 7. It said that the hearing is likely to conclude on April 22. The bench asked the parties to file their written submissions on or before March 14. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for the Centre said he supported the pleas for review of the Sabarimala verdict that allowed entry of women of all age groups in the sacred hill-top shrine in Kerala. The bench-appointed lawyer Krishna Kumar Singh is the nodal counsel for parties supporting the review of the Sabarimala verdict. It also appointed Shashwati Pari as the nodal counsel for those opposing the review o
The Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed a plea moved by the CEO of Chennai-based Smart Creations, where the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols of Sabarimala were taken for gold plating, challenging his arrest in the case of alleged misappropriation of gold from the Lord Ayyappa shrine. Justice A Badharudeen rejected the plea of Smart Creations CEO Pankaj Bhandari, who had also sought that he be released from custody. The detailed order is awaited. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Dwarapalaka idols and the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) has claimed that Bhandari and Ballari-based jeweller Govardhan Roddam played a central role in a conspiracy to steal gold from artefacts of the Sabarimala temple. The SIT had alleged that Bhandari and Roddam, along with first accused Unnikrishnan Potty, planned the theft of gold that was entrusted to them for electroplating work.
The pilgrim turnout at Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple here has crossed 25 lakh in the ongoing annual Mandalam pilgrimage season, a senior official said on Monday. Despite a significant increase in the number of pilgrims compared to last year, darshan at the hill shrine continues smoothly due to effective planning and arrangements, said ADGP S Sreejith, Chief Police Coordinator for Sabarimala. While around 21 lakh devotees had visited the shrine by this time last year, the number has crossed 25 lakh in the ongoing season, he said in a statement. Though heavy crowding was experienced during the initial days, the situation was brought under control through timely interventions, he said. The senior police officer pointed out that the temporary congestion was largely caused by pilgrims failing to arrive on the date specified in their virtual queue passes. He stressed that if devotees adhere to the allotted dates, sufficient time for darshan can be ensured for everyone. He further note
The Congress-led UDF on Friday alleged that the Kerala Chief Minister's office was exerting pressure on the SIT against questioning a former Devaswom Minister in connection with the Sabarimala gold issue till the upcoming local body polls are over. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan contended that the Congress claims of an illicit CPI(M)-BJP relationship have been proved by the recent revelation that CPI (M) MP John Brittas acted as intermediary in the signing of the PM SHRI memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government earlier. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had recently remarked that Brittas had "mediated" the signing of the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) MoU by the Kerala government. Following criticism from the opposition on the issue, the ruling CPI(M) and Brittas had claimed that he was only fulfilling his duty as an MP from the state in the interests of Kerala. Speaking to reporters here, Satheesan alleged t
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of trying to protect the accused in the Sabarimala gold loss case. The incident had hurt the sentiments of Lord Ayyappa devotees across the world, he said, and added that the government was the prime accused in the case. The Congress leader said former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), A Padmakumar and N Vasu, had already been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), but they could not do anything alone without "political support". He alleged that CM Vijayan was trying to protect them and others accused in the gold missing case. Referring to the reported reference of Padmakumar about the involvement of a "god-like person" in the case, Chennithala said, "in Marxist party who is god-like other than Pinarayi Vijayan?" "The present investigation into the case is not extending to the ministers as they have the support of the CM and the government. People of the state
A Kerala court on Wednesday sent CPI(M) leader and former TDB president A Padmakumar to the custody of the SIT, which is probing the loss of gold from the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala, for two days, police said. The special vigilance court granted the request of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for Padmakumar's custody to question him in connection with the loss of gold from the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames, police said. He has to be produced before the court on Thursday evening, when the custody period will get over, it said. According to the SIT appointed by the Kerala High Court, the former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president referred to the 'gold-plated copper plates' as 'copper plates' in the records. He was arrested last Thursday. Padmakumar, a former CPI(M) MLA who served as TDB president in 2019, is the eighth accused in the second case related to the missing gold from the Sreekovil door frames. The SIT is probing two cases, one involving gold lo
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 a
With the annual mandalam-makaravilakku pilgrimage in Sabarimala set to begin in a few days, the Kerala government said it sanctioned Rs 377.8 crore for the renovation of various roads used by Ayyappa devotees. The amount has been allocated for 82 roads across 10 districts, state Finance Minister K N Balagopal said on Sunday. While Rs 68.90 crore has been sanctioned for 14 roads in Thiruvananthapuram and Rs 54.20 crore for the renovation of 15 roads in Kollam, Rs 40.20 crore has been earmarked for the repair of six roads in Pathanamthitta, where the hill shrine is located, he said in a statement. According to the minister, the allocations for other districts are as follows: Rs 36 crore for nine roads in Alappuzha, Rs 35.20 crore for eight roads in Kottayam, Rs 35.10 crore for five roads in Idukki, Rs 32.42 crore for eight roads in Ernakulam, Rs 44 crore for 11 roads in Thrissur, Rs 27.30 crore for five roads in Palakkad, and Rs 4.50 crore for one road in Malappuram. The state ...
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the loss of gold from the Sabarimala temple conducted searches at the apartment of prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty in Bengaluru and at a jewellery shop in Ballari, officials said on Saturday. Potty was taken to Bengaluru as part of the investigation on Friday. Sources said the SIT searched the jewellery shop owned by Govardhan, who reportedly funded the gold-plating work of the temple's Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frame, which was officially sponsored by Potty. Officials said the SIT seized several gold bars from the jewellery shop. However, it is yet to be confirmed whether the seized gold was extracted from the gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols that were sent for electroplating in 2019, they added. The SIT has already recorded Govardhan's statement as part of the probe. Meanwhile, the team also searched Potty's apartment at Srirampura, Bengaluru, and visited an Ayyappa temple there, where he had
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the missing gold from the Sabarimala temple arrested former administrative officer B Murari Babu, sources said on Thursday. Babu, who was suspended by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) following the gold missing row, was taken into custody from his residence in Changanassery on Wednesday night, they said. He was later shifted to the Crime Branch office in Thiruvananthapuram for interrogation, officials said. Babu's relatives reached the Crime Branch office on Thursday morning. At around 10 am, SIT recorded Babu's arrest and informed his relative about the procedure, sources said. They were later allowed to meet the Babu. SIT will produce Babu before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Pathanamthitta here in the evening, officials said. SIT is likely to file a petition in court seeking custody of Babu for detailed interrogation. He is an accused in two cases related to the disappearance of gold from the gold-clad plates of
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the loss of gold from Sabarimala is expected to file its first progress report to the Kerala High Court soon, police sources said on Monday. The division bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar will hear the case again on Tuesday. Sources told PTI that the SIT plans to submit the report on the same day. Officials said the report will cover the current status of the investigation, including the arrest of Bengaluru-based Unnikrishnan Potty, who sponsored the electroplating of gold-clad copper plates on the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum )door frames in 2019. It will also detail the investigation carried out at Chennai, where the plates were electroplated, sources said. The High Court, while assigning the SIT to the case, had directed the team to file a progress report within two weeks and set a six-week deadline to complete the investigation. The SIT has registered two cases related to
With the annual Manadalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season just weeks away, Prasad E D from Thrissur was selected on Saturday as the new 'melsanthi' (chief priest) of the famed Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple here. Manu Namboothiri M G, a native of Mayyanadu in Kollam district, was chosen as the melsanthi of Malikappuram shrine, situated just 100 meters away from Lord Ayyappa temple. The selection was made through a traditional draw after the 'Ushapooj' (morning prayer) at hill temple which was opened for the 'thulam' month poojas on Friday, Travancore Devaswom Board sources here said. TDB is the body which manages several temples in the state, including Sabarimala. Hailing from Chalakudy in Thrissur, Prasad has been serving as a priest in Areswaram Dharmasastha Temple for the past three years. Speaking to a TV channel, he expressed happiness over his selection as the chief priest at the Lord Ayyappa temple. An ardent Ayyappa devotee, Prasad said he would like to reach the shrine a
Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday accused the ruling CPI(M) of "manufacturing" the hijab controversy to divert attention from the Sabarimala gold missing case. Speaking to reporters, Chandrasekhar said the row over hijab use at St Rita's Public School in Palluruthy, Kochi, was being used to shift focus away from the alleged theft of 4.5 kilograms of gold from the Sabarimala temple. "This is a political tactic to draw attention away from the Sabarimala gold case. It will not succeed," he said, alleging the role of General Education Minister V Sivankutty in "manufacturing" a row over the matter. "The BJP will stand firmly to protect the rights of the school and its students," he told reporters at Tripunithura near here. He criticised State Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan and the Travancore Devaswom Board Chairman, demanding that both resign immediately. "If they have any sense of decency, they should step down. Otherwise, we will seek a central agency investigation,"
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing cases related to gold missing from Kerala's Sabarimala temple arrested prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty on Friday, officials said. Police sources said Potty, a Bengaluru-based businessman who was taken into custody from his residence at Pulimath near here on Thursday, was interrogated at the Crime Branch office in Thiruvananthapuram. After the interrogation, the SIT recorded his arrest on Friday, the sources said. Later, Potty was taken to the government hospital for a medical examination. The SIT would be shifting him to Pathanamthitta by afternoon. He would be produced before a court in Ranni, Pathanamthitta, later. The SIT will also seek Potty's custody for detailed interrogation. The SIT constituted on the Kerala High Court's direction is currently investigating two cases -- one concerning the missing gold from the Dwarapalaka idols and another related to the loss of gold from the Sreekovil door frames. SIT officials are also loo
Kerala High Court retired Judge Justice K T Sankaran on Saturday reached Sabarimala here to prepare an inventory of all valuables, including gold, as directed by the HC to check the missing of gold-clad materials from the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) of the hill shrine. Justice Sankaran had arrived at Pampa, the foothills of Sabarimala, on October 10 and trekked to the temple around 8 am on Saturday. He was accompanied by Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials, including a goldsmith, sources said. The team will complete the examination of the strongroom at Sabarimala and prepare a detailed inventory. According to officials, after completing the procedures there, Justice Sankaran will also examine the TDB's main strongroom at Aranmula. A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar had recommended Justice Sankaran for the task, citing his expertise in such matters. Upon completion, he will submit the report directly to the High Court. The court had earlier ordered
The Kerala High Court on Friday 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. A bench of Justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar issued the direction after noting that from the investigation conducted till now, "it appears that insofar as the side frames or lintels are concerned, misappropriation of gold has been carried out". The bench further said that it was also 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)," the court added. The bench directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by it to probe the side frame/lintels issue also along with all the other aspe
The Congress-led opposition staged a walkout from the Kerala assembly on Friday after Speaker A N Shamseer denied them permission to move an adjournment motion to discuss the alleged disappearance of over 4 kg of gold from Sabarimala. The Speaker denied permission to the motion, saying that according to the rules of procedure of the House, a matter or issue which is sub-judice -- pending before the court -- cannot be discussed in the assembly. Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan said that there was precedence of sub-judice issues being discussed in the House, to which the Speaker said, "Precedence cannot supersede rules, and someone has to bell the cat. I am belling the cat now." Satheesan further said that the issue raised by the opposition was a serious one, as the High Court has ordered a probe into the matter. He also said that Ayyappa devotees are disappointed over the issue of over 4 kgs of gold going missing from Sabarimala. "Since permission has be