The investigation into the Sabarimala gold loot case has tightened further, with more big shots falling into the net. Former Tiruvitamcoor Devaswom Board president and senior CPM leader A. Padmakumar was arrested on 20 November by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). This marks the sixth arrest in the case, and notably, the second former Devaswom Board president to be taken into custody. The first was former president and retired Devaswom Commissioner N. Vasu.
Padmakumar was interrogated from the morning of 20 November at the Crime Branch Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. He is listed as the sixth accused in the case. Both N. Vasu and Padmakumar served simultaneously as Tiruvithamcoor Devaswom Board Commissioner and President respectively. The SIT had directed Padmakumar to appear in Thiruvananthapuram on the morning of 20 November, following instructions issued on the evening of 19 November.
Last month, Padmakumar had courted controversy by saying, “What can I do if some people are inside whom we see as Gods?”, a statement clearly linked to the gold loot. His remarks have fuelled intense public curiosity about who these “God-like people” may be. While CPM state secretary M. V. Govindan has insisted that the party’s hands are clean, the SIT appears to hold a very different assessment. Investigators believe both Vasu and Padmakumar to be key conspirators.
Following Padmakumar’s arrest, reports have emerged about his statements before the SIT. He has allegedly claimed that the gold-plating job was assigned to Unnikrishnan Potti—currently in jail—with the knowledge of the then Devaswom Minister and CPM leader Katakampilli Surendran. His arrest is linked to the 2019 gold theft case. Records show that an application submitted by Potti to the minister for the gold-plating work had been forwarded to the Devaswom Board. In other words, the government had approved handing over the temple door frames to Potti. This adds sharp context to his earlier comment hinting at “God-like” individuals being involved in the theft.
Padmakumar had earlier ignored multiple summons issued by the SIT. Investigators now believe he played a direct role in facilitating Potti; for instance, gold-plated copper sheets were allegedly misrepresented in documentation as plain copper sheets.
The SIT has reportedly scrutinised the bank accounts and financial records of Padmakumar and his family. Evidence has also surfaced of repeated meetings between Padmakumar and Unnikrishnan Potti at the former’s residence in Aranmula.
The very Communist leaders who proclaim themselves atheists have no hesitation in occupying positions in the Devaswom Boards, where they then meddle in temple management and preside over a series of anti-Hindu decisions. It raises an unavoidable question: if communists reject faith, what moral or ideological right do they have to control Hindu religious institutions? This glaring contradiction lies not just with a few individuals but extends to the highest levels of the party’s leadership, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, exposing a hypocrisy that Kerala can no longer afford to overlook.
Background: The Sabarimala Gold-Plating Scam
The Sabarimala gold-plating scandal involves the suspected theft of gold meant for plating sacred temple structures, including door frames and copper sheets. The Devaswom Board had entrusted the work to contractors who allegedly siphoned off significant quantities of gold, replacing it with inferior material. The scam, which triggered widespread outrage in Kerala, exposed deep-rooted corruption involving contractors, officials, and political figures linked to the Devaswom administration. The probe has since expanded to uncover systematic tampering of records, manipulation of procurement procedures, and deliberate delays meant to cover tracks.
With the arrest of Padmakumar, public attention is now sharply focused on whether the political leadership will be directly implicated. Kerala awaits further revelations as the SIT continues to unravel the network involved in the notorious gold loot.
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