Gold pilferage in Padmanabha Swamy temple?

Thiruvananthapuram, April 18: Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, from where a treasure of

worth over Rs 1 lakh crore was found some time back, is in news again.

The Amicus Curie and former Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramanian, who was appointed by Supreme Court, has submitted a report, which reveals that gold in the temple is being stolen by some 'influential' people.

According the report, gold plating machines were found inside the temple, which suggests that some people on the top positions of the temple administration may have been stealing gold.

Interestingly, more than one crore is being spent by the government every month on the security of the temple.

The temple is administered by Travancore royal family, who ruled southern Kerala, which was known as Travancore, till it joined the Union of India after 1947.

The treasure was found in the secret vaults in the temple. Gold and gold ornaments worth over Rs1 lakh crore was found in the vault.

The report also mentions how an auto-driver was found dead in a well near the temple.

Excerpts from the report:

"It appears that there has been large scale breach of moral and fiduciary duties towards Sree Padmanabhaswamy and the temple, and the temple which is a public temple has been treated for all effects and purposes as a private fiefdom".

The report has also accused auditors of "failing in performing their ethical and moral duties".

Suggestions made

An independent team comprising people like former CAG Vinod Rai and a Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India must conduct a fresh auditing of the temple, suggests Amicus Curie.

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