Senior CPM Leader Arrested in Temple Gold Theft Scandal
In a significant development that has sent shockwaves through Kerala's political landscape, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala temple gold theft case arrested senior CPI(M) leader and former MLA A Padmakumar on Thursday. The arrest marks a major escalation in the investigation that has already seen multiple arrests in connection with the alleged theft of approximately 4 kg of gold from the renowned pilgrimage site.
The Temple Scandal Unfolds
Padmakumar, who served as the president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in 2019 when the theft allegedly occurred, was taken into custody after several hours of intense questioning by the SIT. The investigation team, appointed directly by the Kerala High Court, recorded his formal arrest in what represents a substantial setback for the ruling CPI(M) party in the state.
The core of the scandal revolves around the mysterious disappearance of gold from temple artifacts that were supposedly sent for additional gold plating. Investigators have established that the Dwarapalaka idols and door frames of the temple's sanctum sanctorum, which had already undergone gold plating between 1998 and 1999, were handed over to Unnikrishnan Potty for what was described as another round of gold plating work.
Investigation Reveals Systematic Lapses
The SIT's probe has uncovered disturbing details about how the theft was allegedly orchestrated. When the temple items were returned after the supposed gold plating, approximately 4 kilograms of gold was found missing, raising serious questions about the management and oversight of temple assets.
More alarming is the SIT's finding that the TDB leadership was allegedly aware of the decision to falsely categorize the gold-plated temple items as mere copper plates when they were handed over to Potty. This misclassification appears to have facilitated the theft by understating the actual value of the items being transferred.
Unnikrishnan Potty, the central figure in the scandal, had previously worked at the temple as an assistant to priests, giving him familiarity with temple operations and access to sacred artifacts.
Political Fallout Intensifies
The arrest of Padmakumar, who currently serves as a member of the CPI(M)'s Pathanamthitta district secretariat, comes at a politically sensitive time. With local body elections scheduled for next month, the opposition Congress and BJP have intensified their attacks on the ruling government over the temple scandal.
This is not the first high-profile arrest in the case. Last week, the SIT arrested former TDB president A Vasu, who was seen as closely associated with the CPI(M). Vasu had previously served as private secretary to CPI(M) veteran P K Gurudasan during his tenure as Excise Minister from 2006 to 2011.
The CPI(M) had initially attempted to distance itself from the scandal, characterizing it as a crime involving only TDB executives and Potty. However, the successive arrests of party-affiliated individuals have made this position increasingly untenable.
Legal Proceedings Advance
The Kerala High Court has taken a proactive role in the investigation, having suo motu initiated proceedings in the scandal. Last month, the court directed the SIT to invoke provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, significantly raising the legal stakes for all involved.
Following this directive, the SIT referred the two criminal cases registered in connection with the gold theft to the Vigilance Court in Kollam. Padmakumar was scheduled to be produced before this court later on Thursday, setting the stage for the next phase of legal proceedings.
The investigation has so far led to the arrest of five individuals before Padmakumar, indicating the breadth and complexity of the case. As the SIT continues to unravel the layers of this sophisticated alleged theft, political observers anticipate further developments that could have significant implications for Kerala's power dynamics.
The Sabarimala temple, one of Kerala's most prominent pilgrimage destinations, now finds itself at the center of a controversy that blends religious sentiment, administrative failure, and political intrigue, making this one of the most closely watched cases in recent Kerala history.
