Sabarimala Row

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 a

Sabarimala temple gold theft case: Former officer arrested by SIT

Investigators said Kumar had been associated with Sabarimala since the 1990s and knew the idols were covered in gold

Sabarimala gold theft case: SIT conducts searches in Ballari, Bengaluru

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

SIT arrests Sabarimala administrative officer in gold missing case

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

New chief priest appointed for Sabarimala ahead of pilgrimage season

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 SIT arrests prime accused in Sabarimala temple missing gold case

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

Sabarimala gold row: Retired HC judge reaches temple to prepare inventory

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

Kerala HC orders registration of criminal case over Sabarimala gold issue

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

Kerala CM accuses Oppn of creating 'smokescreen' in Sabarimala gold row

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday accused the UDF-led opposition of creating a "smokescreen" over the Sabarimala gold-plating issue and said the government is not scared of any such attempts. He alleged that the Congress-led front were afraid of facts, and that is why they were continuously disrupting Assembly proceedings and reluctant to give a notice to discuss the matter in the House. The CM made the remarks in the Assembly when the session resumed after a brief break following a scuffle that broke in the Well of the House between UDF MLAs and watch-and-ward personnel during the question hour. The opposition legislators exchanged heated words with ruling party members during the question hour. The UDF members have been disrupting the House proceedings since Monday, seeking the resignation of Devaswom minister V N Vasavan over alleged irregularities linked to the reduced weight of gold-plated coverings on 'Dwarapalaka' idols at the Sabarimala temple. Vijayan sa

No fresh affidavit filed on Sabarimala, rituals strictly followed, says TDB

Travancore Devaswom Board President P S Prasanth on Wednesday said the board's last affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court in 2016 sought to protect the traditional rituals and customs related to the entry of young women in the Sabarimala temple. No new affidavit has been submitted since then, and the previous one is no longer relevant, he told reporters here. Prasanth was responding to a question about whether the TDB would change its position in the apex court regarding the entry of women of menstruating age group into the Lord Ayyappa shrine. The opposition Congress and BJP have asked the TDB to clarify its stance on the issue. The TDB president said in the past four to five years, all rituals and customs have been strictly followed at the Sabarimala temple, without any deviations. "The matter is pending before the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court. As far as the TDB is concerned, the last affidavit submitted by the Board in 2016 wanted to protect the rituals and cust

BJP Kerala manifesto: New legislation for Sabarimala, laptops for students

BJP Kerala manifesto: New legislation for Sabarimala, laptops for students

SC reserves order on referring questions to larger bench in review petition

The bench was hearing the issues relating to discriminations against women at various places of worship including the Sabarimala temple

Top events of the day: Sabarimala hearing, Modi's rally in Delhi, and more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address his first rally in East Delhi's Karkardooma area on Monday

Verdict allowing women into Sabarimala not the 'final word': Supreme Court

A bench headed by CJI S A Bobde, referring to a recent verdict of the apex court, said the 2018 judgment was not the final word as the issue was referred to a seven-judge bench for consideration

Sabarimala once more

Social justice and progressive social reforms are never a walk in the park

Here's the full story of the Sabarimala temple case so far

The Supreme Court on Thursday said a larger seven-judge bench will re-examine various religious issues, including the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple

Sabarimala row: Shah warns Kerala govt over implementation of SC order

Says 'emergency-like' situation in state, after authorities take protesting Ayyappa devotees into custody

Sabarimala row: SC to hear all pleas challenging earlier verdict on Nov 13

The five-judge constitution bench headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in its 4:1 verdict, had paved the way for entry of women of all ages into the temple