Kerala HC closes Sabarimala flag mast case, gives clean chit to UDF-era project

The Kerala High Court has closed the case alleging corruption and irregularities in the reconstruction of the golden flag mast at Sabarimala Temple, bringing an end to a long-running controversy that had sparked political and public debate.

In its ruling on Thursday, the court accepted the findings of the Vigilance department in full, concluding that there was no material evidence to support allegations of wrongdoing. It held that no criminal proceedings were warranted based on the available records, effectively granting a clean chit to the then Travancore Devaswom Board, which oversaw the project during the Congress-led UDF government’s tenure.

The Vigilance report highlighted transparency in the handling of gold donations received for the reconstruction. A total of 412 grams of gold, contributed by devotees and well-wishers, was found to have been properly accounted for and utilised without any discrepancy.

Investigators recorded statements from 23 individuals, including key contributors, and found them consistent with official records maintained by the Devaswom Board. In all, 27 donors had contributed to the project, among them noted figures such as Mohanlal, Ranjith Panicker, Priyadarshan, Shaji Kailas and Suresh Gopi.

While details of four donors could not be traced, the report noted that this did not affect the overall accounting. It also confirmed that the gold was received through official channels, with proper documentation and receipts issued by the authorities.

The court further observed that there was no evidence of document tampering or misappropriation and that the reconstruction process followed established religious practices. The decision to replace the flag mast was based on recommendations from a Deva Prasnam conducted in 2014, with the reinstallation completed in 2017.

However, the ruling has drawn attention to a separate ongoing investigation related to alleged gold diversion from temple assets during a later period under a Left government. Authorities have indicated that a final chargesheet in that case will be filed after the Assembly elections, pending further evidence.

Reacting to the verdict, Congress leader Ajay Tharayil, who served as a Devaswom Board member at the time, said the outcome vindicated his earlier stance that the project was carried out in accordance with rules. He added, however, that the controversy had cost him an opportunity to contest the upcoming Assembly elections.

With the High Court’s decision, the focus is now expected to shift to the pending case, even as political reactions continue to unfold.

With IANS inputs