KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday cited several reasons to suspect a larger conspiracy in the entrustment of Sabarimala gold-plating works.
It said while entrusting the dwarapalakas and side frames to Unnikrishnan Potti, a person with dubious antecedents, the officials chose to disregard the TDB manual, which stipulated such repair shall be carried out within the Sannidhanam itself.
The court said the deputy devaswom commissioner (finance inspection), acting on behalf of the devaswom commissioner, had on June 28, 2019, sought to allow Potti to undertake gold-plating of the dwarapalakas and copper plates. The board on July 3, 2019, granted permission, categorising them as “copper plates.” Subsequent orders reveal that despite the evident change in the colour of the peedams, Potti was again entrusted with gold-plating.
It said when fresh gold plating of the dwarapalakas was advised after spotting damage, the officials handed those to Potti again. By failing to weigh the idols at the time of refixation, every Devaswom official bears responsibility, it said.