Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], November 15 : Retired IAS K. Jayakumar on Saturday took oath as the newly appointed President of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).
Speaking to reporters, Jayakumar assured transparency in operations amid the ongoing crisis over the Sabarimala gold theft case.
"It is a fact that there is a crisis of faith among devotees. Recent reports have caused distress, and we cannot allow such a situation to persist. Transparency will be assured in all operations. Any gaps through which lapses have occurred will be eliminated," the retired bureaucrat said.
"Where strict action is necessary, it will be taken. Unauthorised activities will be controlled. Decisions regarding sponsors will be made after due discussions," he added.
Former TDB president N Vasu was arrested in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case, said Kerala Director General of Police Ravada Chandrasekhar.
The state's top cop confirmed the development, as Vasu had been questioned earlier by the Special Investigation Team. Vasu is listed as the third accused in the case.
On November 7, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Crime Branch arrested former Thiruvabharanam Commissioner KS Baiju in connection with a gold theft case.
Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused, was reportedly taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on October 17. The SIT, which is investigating the matter, submitted its second report to the Kerala High Court, revealing serious irregularities in the minutes of the Travancore Devaswom Board.
According to the SIT report, the record book does not include details about the transfer of the dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idol to Unnikrishnan Potti in 2019.
The Sabarimala gold controversy involves allegations of irregularities regarding the gold plating work at the Sabarimala temple.
This situation arose from a donation of 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998, intended for the cladding of the sanctum sanctorum and the wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.