Kollam: The Vigilance Enquiry Commissioner Special Court observed that the Sabarimala gold misappropriation allegations reflected a grave breach of trust by those entrusted with safeguarding temple assets, describing the situation as "the fence eating the crop".

Reviewing the bail plea of Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) former president N Vasu, the court said the misappropriation allegations had deeply damaged public faith and stressed that any premature release of the accused could weaken the investigation and erode devotees’ confidence.

The court on Wednesday dismissed Vasu’s bail plea and reiterated that the allegations against him were serious and raised substantial concerns about the management of temple assets.

The prosecution submitted that Vasu, while serving as Devaswom Commissioner, forwarded a recommendation on March 6, 2019, in which he allegedly omitted a crucial detail stating that the temple door frames had already been gold-plated.

The court further remarked that “it is highly illogical and irrational to claim that the petitioner was merely a ‘transmission agent’.” It was observed that this argument appeared to have been raised solely to evade criminal liability in the case. The court added that Vasu had also failed to seek the opinion of the Chief Priest (Tanthri), which it said amounted to a serious violation of tradition. This, it noted, was a grave lapse for a senior officer of the Board holding the position of Devaswom Commissioner.

Investigators said this omission allowed the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potty, to hand over the gold-plated copper plates to Smart Creations, a Chennai-based agency. They argued that the omission was deliberate and formed part of a wider conspiracy to divert temple gold. Prosecutors further contended that Vasu’s involvement extended beyond the 2019 document.

After he became the TDB president, he received an email from the first accused on December 9, 2019, seeking direction on whether the leftover temple gold in his possession could be used for a wedding. Despite the clear indication that temple gold was held improperly by a private individual, Vasu allegedly failed to initiate any inquiry. The court viewed this as a serious lapse, stating that his inaction suggested that he was aware of wrongdoing.

The court also pointed out that Vasu had previously served as a Vigilance Tribunal Judge and was therefore well-versed in administrative procedures. It said he could not claim that he forwarded documents without understanding their implications. His seniority and experience, the court noted, imposed a higher responsibility to protect temple property. The court held that releasing him could obstruct the investigation, given his influence and longstanding association with the Devaswom Board.

Vasu, the third accused in the case, was arrested after hours of questioning at the Crime Branch office in Eenchakkal. He served as Devaswom Commissioner from February 1, 2018, to March 14, 2019, and later as TDB president from November 2019 to November 2021.