Former Devaswom Minister K Surendran quizzed by SIT over Sabarimala temple gold case

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged loss of gold from the Sabarimala temple has questioned former Devaswom Minister and senior CPI(M) legislator Kadakampally Surendran , police sources said on Tuesday.

Surendran confirmed that his statement was recorded last week, noting that he was the Devaswom Minister at the time when the alleged gold loss from the hill shrine occurred. His questioning assumes significance as he is a prominent leader of the ruling CPI(M) and has held several organisational positions within the party.

The interrogation followed the release of photographs by Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader Shibu Baby John, purportedly showing Surendran standing alongside Unnikrishnan Potty, the prime accused in the case. Investigators are examining the nature of the former minister’s interactions with those allegedly involved in the theft of temple gold.

The SIT has also questioned P S Prasanth, the immediate past president of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the affairs of the Sabarimala temple. So far, 10 people have been arrested, including two former TDB presidents.

The case relates to the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) doorframes at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. The SIT was constituted following directions from the Kerala High Court, which earlier this month granted the investigation team an additional six months to complete the probe.

Meanwhile, the questioning of Surendran triggered sharp political reactions , with the opposition Congress alleging interference in the investigation. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph accused the LDF government of exerting pressure on the SIT to delay the interrogation of Surendran and former Devaswom Board officials ahead of the local body elections .

Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan alleged that the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) had intervened to postpone questioning , to avoid political embarrassment to the CPI(M) during the election period . He further claimed that Surendran had links with the prime accused and played a role in facilitating his association with Devaswom Board officials.

The CPI(M) and the state government have not responded to the allegations so far. Officials said the investigation is ongoing , and more persons may be questioned as the probe progresses.

On Tuesday, the SIT also questioned Tamil Nadu-based businessman D Mani as part of efforts to trace the chain of custody of the missing gold .