In a significant development concerning the security of temple assets, Bharatiya Janata Party's Kerala state president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has approached the Kerala High Court. He has filed a petition urging the court to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged theft and replacement of gold coverings from the iconic Sabarimala temple.
Court Adjourns Hearing to Cure Petition Defects
The plea came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices V Raja Vijayaraghavan and K V Jayakumar on Monday. However, the court did not delve into the merits of the case immediately. The bench adjourned the hearing to December 9, 2024, directing the petitioner to first cure certain technical defects in the petition that were pointed out by the high court registry.
Allegations of Gold Plates Being Replaced
In his petition, Chandrasekhar laid out a detailed sequence of events leading to the alleged theft. He stated that the gold coverings of the dwarapalaka idols (guardian deities) flanking the sanctum sanctorum were removed in 2019 for the stated purpose of re-gold plating.
However, a major discrepancy was allegedly found in the official record, or mahazar, prepared for this procedure. The petition claims the mahazar described these valuable coverings merely as "copper sheets," not gold plates. Chandrasekhar alleged that the original gold plates were secretly replaced with gold-plated ones at that time.
The plot thickened when these replacement plates reportedly began to show discolouration, creating a need for fresh gold plating scheduled for 2025. The BJP leader expressed a serious apprehension that the original plates were taken to Chennai and swapped with new gold-plated sheets.
Why a CBI Probe is Needed, Argues Petitioner
Chandrasekhar's primary argument for transferring the case to the CBI hinges on the inter-state dimensions of the alleged crime. He pointed out that the gold taken from the temple was allegedly disbursed across different states, involving several individuals and establishments outside Kerala's jurisdiction.
He contended that the ongoing probe, which is currently being conducted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the monitoring of the High Court, could be hampered by these cross-border complexities. The petitioner strongly argued that only a comprehensive inquiry by a central agency like the CBI has the necessary reach and authority to unravel the full network.
Furthermore, the petition criticized the Travancore Devaswom Board, the body managing the temple, for its administrative lapses. Chandrasekhar submitted that the Board's failure to conduct timely and proper audits of the temple's precious assets reflected "gross administrative indifference." He asserted that rigorous audits could have potentially prevented the loss or detected it much earlier.
What Happens Next?
All eyes are now on the next hearing date of December 9. Once the petition's defects are rectified, the court is expected to hear the substantive arguments from Rajeev Chandrasekhar's side on the necessity of a CBI investigation. The court's decision could pave the way for a major central agency probe into the affairs of one of India's most prominent pilgrimage sites, setting a precedent for the oversight of temple wealth and security across the state.
