Kerala High Court criticizes Travancore Devaswom Board over alleged gold misappropriation at Sabarimala temple, questioning delegation of key tasks
Kerala High Court Questions Role of Travancore Devaswom Board
The Kerala High Court criticized the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Monday. The court questioned the board’s role if all major responsibilities were given to businessman Unnikrishnan Potti. He is the main accused in the alleged misappropriation of gold from the Sabarimala temple.
A single Bench of Justice A. Badharudeen heard arguments from the prosecution. They stated that the gold plating of the door frames and the Dwarapalaka idols was given to Potti. The court expressed concern about why such important tasks were assigned to one person.
The court was also hearing bail pleas from former TDB president A. Padmakumar, gold merchant Govardhan from Bellary, and former Sabarimala executive officer Murari Babu. All three are accused in the case.
Mr. Govardhan mentioned that he had been in prison for 25 days. He claimed he spent ₹1.40 crore from his own funds for various works in Sabarimala.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) opposed the bail pleas. They argued that the accused needed to remain in custody because they had a significant role in the alleged gold misappropriation from the temple.
| Accused | Role | Details |
|---|---|---|
| A. Padmakumar | Former TDB President | Seeking bail |
| Govardhan | Gold Merchant | Spent ₹1.40 crore; in prison for 25 days |
| Murari Babu | Former Executive Officer | Seeking bail |
