When the gold plating completed under the patronage of businessman Vijay Mallya in 1998–1999 was turned over to Unnikrishnan Potti in 2019 for gold plating, it was clearly clear that TDB officials were involved.
Thiruvananthapuram: The special investigation team (SIT) is looking into at least three more Bengaluru residents in relation to the gold theft from the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine.
Three additional Bengaluru residents were previously implicated in the theft of gold from the Ayyappa temple’s gold plating, in addition to Malayali Unnikrishnan Potti, who was already detained by the special investigative team.
A person called Kalpesh was discovered to have taken the gold that was taken out of the plating from the Chennai-based Smart Creations, while Aanantha Subramanyam and Ramesh from Bengaluru were allegedly engaged in obtaining the plating from Sabarimala on behalf of Potti. It was believed that all three were close colleagues of Potti.
Potti, who is now being held by the special investigative team, is said to have insisted that he just followed the key conspirators’ instructions and that his involvement in the gold theft was relatively little.
The SIT believes that around two kilos of gold that were stolen from the temple’s plating were sold to wealthy devotees for much more than the gold’s market worth, claiming aesthetic value because of the temple’s affiliation with Sabarimala Ayyappa. Getting the gold back from the temple would be a big obstacle for the SIT. In the procedure, scientific testing could be essential.
A questioning of the Travancore Devaswom Board officers charged in the case is imminent for the SIT. As the gold plating completed under the patronage of entrepreneur Vijay Mallya in 1998–1999 was referred to as copper when it was turned over to Unnikrishnan Potti in 2019 for gold plating, the participation of Travancore Devaswom Board officials was already apparent.
In the meanwhile, the SIT turned in an initial report of the inquiry on Tuesday. According to reports, the HC ordered an investigation into the participation of all parties, including senior members of the Travancore Devaswom Board, which oversees the temple, and the uncovering of the full scheme behind the taking.
The case’s proceedings were place in camera to provide the highest level of secrecy throughout the investigation. Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar, who made up the division bench, had instructed the SIT to keep the investigation’s details private.