In a significant move, the Kerala High Court has closed the corruption and irregularities case concerning the reconstruction of the golden flag mast at Sabarimala. The court accepted the Vigilance department’s quick verification report, stating that no further proceedings were necessary. It endorsed the findings, noting the lack of material evidence to support corruption allegations during the reconstruction under the Congress-led UDF government.
The court’s decision effectively clears the then Travancore Devaswom Board of any criminal wrongdoing, based on the available records. The Vigilance report highlighted the transparency in handling the donated gold, totaling 412 grams, for the project. The investigation confirmed that the gold was properly utilized for the designated purposes without any discrepancies in weight or usage.
Notable contributors, including film personalities like Mohanlal, Priyadarshan, and Suresh Gopi, were among the 27 donors for the reconstruction. The court was satisfied with the integrity of the process, emphasizing that there was no evidence of tampering or misappropriation. The decision to replace the flag mast was based on the 2014 Deva Prasnam directives, with the reinstallation completed in 2017 following prescribed rituals.
The verdict has shifted focus to a separate “gold smuggling” case linked to Sabarimala, involving officials from the Left government period. The pending case is expected to draw political attention following the High Court’s ruling on the UDF era project. Veteran Congress leader Ajay Tharayil expressed relief at the clean chit, emphasizing that all actions were conducted in compliance with regulations.
