The Kerala High Court has mandated the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to delve into the suspected irregularities surrounding the weight reduction of gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala. The action arises after an interim investigation report by the Travancore Devaswom Board's Chief Vigilance and Security Officer sparked concerns.
Earlier, the court had sought a probe into the decreased weight of the Dwarapalakas following their electroplating by Chennai-based Smart Creation, funded by businessman Unnikrishnan Potty in 2019. This week, the court ordered an extensive inventory check of all valuables, including gold, at the temple, supervised by retired Justice K T Sankaran.
The SIT, led by H Venkitesh, Additional Director General of Police, with