Sabarimala chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru, currently remanded in judicial custody in gold scam case, had pitched the idea of collecting gold donations from devotees for the installation of a golden mast although the Hyderabad-based company Phoenix infrastructure had agreed to contribute the entire gold and silver and sponsor the labour cost for the flag mast at Sannidhanam, according to the reports filed by the Advocate Commissioner ASP Kurup. The reports (accessed by Onmanorama) also mention Unnikrishnan Potty, the key accused in the gold fraud case.

The Kerala High Court had in 2016 appointed Kurup as the Advocate Commissioner after permission had been granted to dismantle the flag mast at Sabarimala temple and erect a new golden one. The HC had ruled that the work had to be carried out entirely at the expense of Phoenix Infrastructure under the supervision of the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner, Devaswom Chief Engineer (General) and ASP Kurup.

The work related to the installation of the golden flag mast has now come under the probe of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau. The HC bench recently ordered the investigation based on reports filed by the Special Investigation Team and the Devaswom Vigilance, which hinted at alleged irregularities in gold and cash collected for the work.

Kurup filed six reports in the HC along with a final report. Scrutiny of annexures, minutes and reports reveals that a meeting was held on golden flag mast installation (Swarna Dwaja Punaprathishta) at Ettumanoor Sree Mahadeva Temple in 2016. One of the decisions was that an agreement had to be executed with the sponsor regarding their contribution of ₹3.2 crore.

The minutes of the meeting show that even though the sponsor was contributing the entire gold and silver, along with the necessary labour cost for the golden mast, Kandararu Rajeevaru expressed the view that the devotees of Lord Ayyappan also must be given an opportunity to contribute gold for the proposed golden mast and also there must be contribution from the part of the Travancore Devaswom Board.

The suggestion was accepted in the meeting, and it was decided to inform the general devotees that 24-karat gold coins of denomination 1gm, 2gm, 4gm, 8gm, or such other higher quantity can be entrusted with the Executive Officer, Sabarimala Devaswom. "In case the gold contribution made by the donor as well as the devotees is in excess of the required quantity of gold for the Dwajam, the same can be utilised for the preparation of a Jeevatha to the Malikapurathamma and other works of gold items to be done at Sabarimala Sannidhanam," the meeting noted.

 Jeevatha is an ornamental and decorated image to be carried on the shoulders at the time of the procession from Malikappuram to Saramkuthi Aal, and the authorities decided to manufacture the same before the erection of the golden mast. The report notes that Tantri's opinion is accepted as final as far as ritualistic matters are concerned. It was also decided to use imported copper as well as 24-karat gold of more than 99 per cent purity. Twelve layers of gold foil were to be pasted on the golden mast, and also copper sheets of 16 gauge were to be used for different parts of the Dwajam, and 18 gauge for covering the Panchavargathara (the granite basement) of the mast.

Another interim report records that for the purpose of polishing different parts of the golden mast right from the top to bottom, including the Panchavargathara, 9.161kg gold of 99.9 per cent purity was purchased from the Customs Department. Actor Suresh Gopi and a number of cine artistes, businessmen and similar devotees came forward to dedicate an additional 412.010gm of pure gold so as to paste and polish the same upon the Vaagi Vahanam and the Ashtadwikpalakars in addition to the 12 layers of gold plating, says the report. This was done to make the Vaagi Vahanam shine at the top of the Dwajam and the Ashtadwikpalakars to remain intact and in perfect golden glitter for years to come, according to the Advocate Commissioner's report.

The reports also include a letter to the TDB by Kurup saying that he had contacted Unnikrishnan Potty regarding sponsorship for the construction of Manimandapam. Potty replied via mail in April 2017, communicating his proposal to offer full expenses for the construction of new Manimandapams on the left and right sides of Pathinettampadi. An excerpt of the letter is also produced in the report, which said that Potty had talked to three families in Chennai and they had agreed to bear the full expense of the work.

Kurup summarises the work that spanned 1.5 years in every detail, and he describes the golden mast as 'perfection personified'. Responding to the vigilance probe, Kurup told Onmanorama that he doesn't have to justify himself. "I have done everything and dedicated it to the law. Let the vigilance do the probe. I am an officer of the court and all details have been clearly stated in my reports," said Kurup.