**Kerala High Court Appoints Justice to Inventory Sabarimala Temple Valuables**
The Kerala High Court has designated retired Justice KT Sankaran to oversee a detailed inventory of all valuables housed at the Sabarimala temple, which includes gold, silver, precious stones, and antiquities. The court has mandated a thorough assessment of items stored in the strong room, those recorded in the Thiruvabharanam Register, and gold-cladded articles. The Travancore Devaswom Board is required to facilitate this process by providing necessary resources and space.
The primary aim of this initiative is to create an accurate, digitized record of the temple’s assets to prevent any potential misuse or theft. The court emphasized that this evaluation is intended solely for internal security purposes and will not be made public. Justice Sankaran is tasked with submitting a confidential report to the court upon completion of the inventory.
Additionally, the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer, who also serves as the Superintendent of Police, will continue the investigation into alleged lapses by Devaswom officials. These officials reportedly entrusted valuables without maintaining proper records, leading to various irregularities. The case is scheduled for further hearing on October 27.
This decision follows the recent recovery of the missing gold-plated pedestal of the Dwarapalaka idols, which was discovered at the home of a relative of a sponsor in Thiruvananthapuram. A team led by the Superintendent of Police for Vigilance and Security, Sunil Kumar, successfully retrieved the pedestal from the residence of a relative of Bengaluru-based sponsor Unnikrishnan Potty. Potty had previously disclosed that he sponsored the gold-plated pedestal when the idols were being gold-cladded in 2019. However, the pedestal, completed in 2020, never made it to the temple and was instead kept by one of Potty’s workers, who later transferred it to a relative’s home. Following an interrogation, the worker confessed, leading to the successful recovery of the item.
**FAQ**
*What is the purpose of the inventory at Sabarimala temple?*
The inventory aims to create a secure, digitized record of the temple’s valuables to prevent misuse or theft, ensuring proper safeguarding of the deity’s property.