Sabarimala audit: Justice K.T. Sankaran arrives at Pampa; to inspect the strong room at Sannidhanam
Pathanamthitta: Justice K.T. Sankaran, appointed by the Kerala High Court to supervise the Sabarimala temple audit, has reached Pampa. He will trek up the hill in the morning and inspect the strong room at Sannidhanam around 11 a.m. The Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) panels that were repaired and brought back will be examined tomorrow. On Monday, he will visit Aranmula to check the main strong room of the temple.
Investigations have found that Unnikrishnan Potti, who took the Dwarapalaka gold-plated panels from the Sabarimala sanctum for repair in 2019, misappropriated 474.9 grams of gold. The High Court has ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to register cases and conduct a detailed probe into both incidents. The court directed that everyone involved in the theft, irregularities, and breach of faith should face legal action.
The court also pointed out serious lapses by Devaswom Board officials, suggesting that arrests are likely, including among senior officers. A report submitted by V. Sunil Kumar, Chief Vigilance and Security Officer of the Devaswom Board, stated that Unnikrishnan Potti allegedly used just three grams of his own gold to steal 474.9 grams of temple gold.