'Missing gold' offerings at Sabarimala: TDB strongroom to be inspected

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The financial audit wing of the state government will inspect the strongroom of the Travancore devaswom board (TDB) on Monday following reports that gold and silver offered by devotees at the Sabarimala Temple have gone missing.
The decision was made following instructions from the high court which considered a petition that was submitted before it. The TDB's vigilance wing had earlier found that the officials in charge of the strongroom were not keeping proper records on the gold and silver offerings made at the temple.
"The initial inspection has found that records were not maintained on the gold and silver offerings kept at the strongroom. Hence, a detailed verification will be conducted and a report will be submitted before the high court," said A Padmakumar, TDB president.
The TDB's vigilance wing had received several complaints that gold and silver kept at the strongroom have gone missing. However, the TDB president brushed aside the allegations.
Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran said only the audit wing's inspection can reveal whether the allegations were true.
"At present, we cannot say so. Let the auditing be completed, only then we can come to some kind of conclusion,'' said Surendran.
The officials, who are in charge of the strongroom, have to keep a stock register on the materials kept at the strongroom. But it has been found that in the past six years no such records were maintained. Even when new officials took up the charge of the strongroom, the former officials did not hand over the exact details of the materials kept at the room, which is an offence, said the TDB president.
The strongroom is situated adjacent to the Aranmula temple and assistant account officer of the TDB is in charge of it. As per rules, the room should be opened only in the presence of three senior officials of the TDB, including an assistant executive officer of the board.
"Right now, we cannot say that we have lost anything from the strongroom. After the inspection, we will prepare a report and if we find that any of the officials neglected their responsibilities, severe action will be taken against them," said Padmakumar.